Tell It To My Heart
by cronelyne
Summary: Angie Watson is out of jail and leaves a note for Don Flack at the precinct. He meets her and a romance begins. Can Angie leave her troubled past behind and how does Don reconcile a relationship with an ex con? Romance, love scenes, DannyFlack friendship
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This story was originally called "Angie Watson and Don Flack" and I killed Angie off in the last chapter. I decided I didn't want that ending after all so I have rewritten the ending and continued the story.

Don Flack sat in the booth at the diner, the same one he'd gone to the day he'd tried to talk Danny down from the ledge during the Minhaus fiasco. It was a homey, comfortable little place. Don, however, was a bit on edge, fiddling with the straw that had come with the coke he'd ordered. He wasn't going to use it; he just needed something to occupy his hands and his mind. He stared at the straw, still in it's paper wrapper, then gave himself a mental shake, tossed the straw on the table and picked up the glass. He took a good-sized gulp of the coke, and then tried not to belch from the carbonation.

Don was meeting someone; someone he never thought he'd see or hear from again... Angie Watson was out, and she'd looked him up, left a note for him at his desk, asking to meet him here. He wasn't even sure she was going to show up, and wasn't at all sure he should be here waiting for her. A cop waiting to meet an ex-con? And a pretty female one at that. One who had told him he had beautiful eyes, and asked him if he had a girlfriend. At the time he was focused on getting the information he'd needed from her, but he'd be lying if he claimed he hadn't spared a tiny thought for how pretty she was and how it kind of sucked that a pretty girl who liked his eyes just happened to be in jail for robbing a dry cleaners.

He'd been more than a little impressed by how smart she was. Not just seemed to be; was. She had remembered every little detail of the street where she'd dumped the gun that that idiot doctor had found and used to hijack a donor liver for his sick wife. Down to the color of the doorbells and the two red bikes chained together. Angie Watson was more than just a common criminal. She had a sharp mind and Don had wondered how someone that smart had ended up on the wrong side of the law. Not that he'd had much time to think about it. He had put in a word for her, saying that she had helped him locate the gun used in the hijacking. After that he'd pretty much forgotten about her. Months had passed and a lot had happened, including the bombing where he'd almost been killed.

He wondered what she wanted; why she'd contacted him. More than that he wondered what the hell he was doing using up his lunch hour sitting here waiting to see if she'd show up. _Maybe I should just clear out now, he thought._

Too late. He looked up and saw her coming through the door. _Man, she's even prettier than I thought..._

She spotted him without him having to get her attention. She walked over and sat down opposite him.

"Angie Watson."

"Detective Donald Flack," she said. "The one with the beautiful eyes. I didn't even know your name that day. Had to ask my parole officer. How have you been?"

"I'm just dandy, thanks. How about you?" Don was still trying to figure out what the hell she wanted from him.

"I've heard some interesting things about you. That bombing in Greenwich. I heard you almost died."

"Yeah. Close call. If it hadn't been for Mac Taylor I wouldn't be here now."

"But you're all recovered, huh? I'm glad to see that. It would have sucked if I'd have gotten out and found out you'd kicked."

"So why are you so concerned about my well-being, huh?"

Angie shrugged. "You put in a word for me. I didn't think you would. I wanted to say thank you."

"I said I would, and I did. So what are you up to these days? Staying out of trouble, I hope?"

I'm working as a stock clerk in a market."

Don wondered who'd hired her. "Does your boss know you have a record?"

"She does, actually. Apparently she's hired ex-cons before. Tryin' to help us get back on our feet, give us a chance to redeem ourselves." Angie smiled and shook her head. "Hey, I'm just glad someone gave me a job. She gave me a room to rent too. Can you believe that?"

Don took this information in and decided that it was good news. If someone was willing to give this young woman a job and a place to live, maybe there was hope for her yet. He'd have to meet this boss of hers.

Don may have been a bit nervous, but he was hungry. "Have you had lunch?" he asked. "I'm gonna order some food. This is my lunch break and I'm starving."

Angie agreed to let Don buy her lunch, and she tore through a cheeseburger and fries with an enthusiasm that Don found impressive. He matched her bite for bite with his pastrami on rye, and the conversation stalled while attention was paid to the task of eating.

When the billed was paid and they were getting up from the table, he hesitated, trying to decide what his next move would be. He didn't want to just let her walk away from him and never see her again, or worse yet, find himself searching all the corner markets trying to find the one she worked in. She saved him the trouble. She handed him a small folded piece of paper. "Here's where you can find me. I hope I'll hear from you soon." she said with a little sidewise smile. _Damn, she's flirting with me. Why the hell does she have to be so pretty?_

"I may look you up," he said, returning the smile. _No reason not to be friendly,_ he told himself. _It's not like it's a big deal..._

"Well, I'll see you around, detective."

"You can call me Don."

"Thanks for lunch, Don."

"My pleasure." _Oh shit, did I just say that? I gotta get away from her before I make a complete fool of myself..._

"I gotta get back to work." he said, sounding lame to his own ears. "See ya."

Angie smiled at him again, turned and strolled away down the sidewalk. Don wondered why he felt so warm all of a sudden. _Oh, fuck. This is not good._


	2. Chapter 2

**Angie and Don, part 2**

"Hey Flack!"

Don stopped, turned and waited for Danny Messer to catch up with him.

"Hey pal, what's up?" he asked his best friend.

"Hey, I was thinkin' about gettin' a pizza delivered and watchin' the Yankees game. Wanna come over?"

_Ah crap,_ Don thought. Danny was still recovering from the sting of being shut down by Lindsay. She'd actually let him down pretty easy; telling him it wasn't him, it was her, that she was working out stuff from her past, and that she needed to do it without the complication of a relationship. Danny had tried to make light of it, saying that they didn't have to get serious, just go out once in a while and have some laughs, but even that had been too much for Lindsay, who'd told him she thought it would be better if they just worked together for now.

So Danny had been nursing a bruised ego and trying to reconcile his feelings for the Montana girl, and Don had provided support in the form of a few nights spent in the bar letting Danny get drunk and whine to Don about her _(Danny could be such a drama queen)_ or going over to Danny's to watch games, eat pizza and drink beer. And that was all fine with Don. Danny was his best friend and Don knew that Danny would do the same for him had their roles been reversed. But he couldn't be there for his friend tonight.

"Jeez Danny, I can't. I have plans." he said.

"Plans." Danny said skeptically. "What kinda plans?"

"Well, actually, I have a date." Don cringed inwardly. This was not a good time for Danny to hear this. But he couldn't not be honest with his friend.

" A date? Since when are you dating?"

"This is the second one. Actually this is the first real date. We just met for lunch the first time."

"Huh. So who is this gal?" Don couldn't really tell yet if Danny was going to have a problem with this development. But no matter how good a friend Danny was, Don wasn't ready to tell him about Angie.

"You don't know her. She's a nice girl. I'll introduce you soon enough. But right now I've gotta go; she's expecting me at 7." It was almost 6pm now. "Raincheck on the pizza?"

"...sure, yeah. Have a nice time." Danny didn't sound upset; just sort of confused. Like he was wondering how Don had managed to get a date right when he had gotten shot down by Lindsay.

"Thanks man. I'll see you tomorrow."

(earlier that day)

Don could easily have found the little store that Angie was working in. He'd been there many times. It wasn't far from his apartment. The room that Angie was renting was in the apartment above the store where her the store owner lived. And as it turned out, he knew Angie's boss as well. Her name was Marilyn and she was in fact someone who had given many young people a leg-up towards getting their lives back on track after a brush with the law. She called herself "a sucker for hard-luck cases". She'd grown up in a bad neighborhood and had had her own challenges in her life. But she too had been helped by someone who wasn't willing to give up on a smart but bored young african american woman, and Marilyn had managed to turn her life around. Now she tried to do the same for a few troubled but promising young people of New York City. Don definitely agreed that Angie was one of these.

"Hey there detective, what's shakin'?" She greeted Don when he walked in.

"Oh you know, crime-fightin' in the Big Apple. How have you been?"

"Can't complain. Got me a new employee. I've been teaching her how to be a grocery clerk." Marilyn said with a smile.

"You must be talkin' about Angie."

"Oh, you've met?"

"Yeah, we have. I helped shorten her sentence after she helped me on a case awhile back. She looked me up now that she's out. I bought her lunch the other day."

"Hm, that's an interesting chain of events."

Don looked at her, his brows furrowing slightly. _What does she mean by that?_ he thought.

"And you came in today to see her?" Marilyn gave Don an odd smile.

"Yeah, but I don't wanna take her away from her work..."

"No problem. She's in the back aisle, stocking product. Go ahead."

Don walked down the side aisle towards the back wall, and spotted Angie kneeling on the floor placing cans of soup on the shelf.

"Workin' hard, huh?" he said, to get her attention. She looked up at him and he almost stopped dead in his tracks. Her face seemed to light up when she smiled him, and he felt something flip over in his belly. _Jesus, Flack, get a grip on yourself, _he swore silently. There was no way she should have this kind of effect on him. He suddenly wanted to run away from her, as far away as he could get. But he didn't, and the urge was gone almost before he realized it was there.

"Not so bad. This is pretty easy. Just put it on the shelf in the right spot." She pointed at the rim of the shelf. "See? There's a tag here. This is where this stuff goes. Not rocket science." She smiled again.

He gave her a questioning frown. Was she messing with him? He hoped he hadn't insulted her or something.

She smiled again. "So what brings you here, Detective Flack?"

"I did tell you that you could call me Don, right?"

"Yeah. But I like the sound of the title and the last name. Flack. It's an interesting name. And it goes with you."

"Ok, if you say so." He shook his head and smiled. "So what time do you get done here?"

"I'm off at six." She wasn't looking at him now; she was back to putting cans on the shelf.

"Any plans for tonight?" Don could feel a perfect line down the middle of his conciousness, one side saying _please say you don't_, the other saying _if you have plans them I'm off the hook... _he frowned at himself inwardly and pushed the latter thought aside...

"Well, let me check my busy social calendar..." Angie seemed to be giving something serious thought, and then said "gee, it looks like I'm free this evening. What did you have in mind?"

"Dinner?" Don made it a question, and wondered why he did that. _Damn, she's making me feel like an idiot. How the hell does she do that? _

She smiled at him and Don felt sure that she knew exactly what she was doing to him and that she was enjoying every minute of it.

"Dinner sounds great. Can you pick me up at seven?"

"Seven it is. I'll see you then."

Angie turned back to her shelf. "Ok." was all she said.

Don resisted the urge to dance down the aisle. He went back to the front and said goodbye to Marilyn. "I'm taking Angie out for dinner tonight," he said to her. So I'll be back to pick her up at seven."

Marilyn gave him a knowing smile. "There's a stairway on the side of the building that goes to the second floor. I'll make sure she's ready on time."

"I'll see you at seven then."


	3. Chapter 3

**Angie and Don part 3**

Don checked his watch. _Good, made it on time._ After having to turn Danny down for the offer of pizza and a Yankees game, he had to rush it a bit to get home, showered and changed and to the market on time. He'd left his apartment wearing not his usual suit and tie, changing instead into faded jeans, an oxford shirt in pale blue, boots and a casual jacket that was a faded dark charcoal grey.

He knocked on the door to the apartment, and was greeted by Marilyn.

"Well don't you look spiffy in your casual clothes," she said with a smile and a wink at Don. She stepped aside and let him into the apartment.

"Thanks. It's nice to get out of the suit occasionally."

"Angie should be out momentarily. Where're you goin' for dinner?"

"There's an italian place near here that I really like. I thought we'd go there."

"Did someone say italian?" Angie stepped out of a room to Don's right. He looked over at her...and he knew he'd been caught gaping at her. _God, she's beautiful_. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, is that ok?"

" I love italian." She looked him up and down with a smile and a raised eyebrow. It looked to Don as if she liked what she saw. "Wow, you look good in jeans, Don."

Don tried not to grin like an idiot. "Thanks. You ready?"

Angie nodded. Don offered her his elbow. "Let's go." She smiled up at him.

"See you later Marilyn," Don said. "I promise not to keep her out too late."

Angie just smiled at Marilyn.

"Have a nice dinner you two," Marilyn said.

Out on the sidewalk, Don paused before opening the car door for her. She gave him a questioning look.

"You're beautiful." he said. _well, that was subtle. What am I doin'? I'm in way over my head here..._

She smiled. "Thank you." She was dressed casually in snug-fitting jeans and a soft v-neck sweater in a pale violet color. She had on a fitted jacket that further accentuated her curves. Don couldn't see anything like lipstick or eye makeup on her face and decided that she really didn't need it. She was quite pretty enough all on her own. The light color of the sweater was a lovely contrast to her olive skin and dark hair and eyes. He wondered what her ethnic background was. Some sort of european or mediterranean, maybe? But not Greek like Stella.

The restaurant was another of those warm, friendly places that Don loved to frequent. A respite from the crap he dealt with on a daily basis. The food there was excellent and the service was great as well. He looked over the menu, contemplating whether to go with something light or throw caution to the wind and get something like ravioli with sausage. He looked up and noticed that Angie was frowning slightly as she scanned the menu.

"Hey," he said, "you ok?"

"Yeah. There's this one dish I really like, it's chicken but it's not a red sauce. I think it's a wine sauce..."

"Marsala?"

"That's it. That's what I want."

"Hey Don, where's your sidekick tonight?" Don looked up at the waitress. Her name was Darla and he knew she had a bit of a crush on Danny.

"He's watchin' a baseball game on TV, I think." He hoped Danny was doing that and not back at Sullivan's having one too many beers...

Angie looked up at Darla and Don introduced them. "Darla, this is my friend Angie. Angie, this is Darla."

"Hi Angie." Darla said with a smile. Angie smiled back. "Hi." she said simply.

Darla took their drink orders. Don was about to get a beer and then decided on iced tea instead. For some reason he didn't want any alcohol tonight. Nothing to cloud his judgement, he told himself. _I'm havin' enough trouble with that already..._ Angie ordered a diet coke and Don was oddly relieved that she was apparently on the same page with him. He'd looked in her file and found out she was 24 years old, so she could have had a glass of wine or a beer if she'd wanted it. But not tonight.

Over ravioli and chicken marsala, the conversation meandered through Don's cases for the week and the perks and perils of being a homicide detective in New York City. Angie seemed genuinely interested in what Don was telling her, and he wondered if she was getting a feel for how the other half lived. Don was curious to know more about her, so he started off with an easy question, hoping to draw her out a bit.

"So how do you like being a grocery clerk?"

"It's ok I guess. I'm just thankful to have a job and a place to live."

"No family to go to?"

Angie stared at her now empty plate. "My mom lives here but we don't see each other much."

Don frowned. "Why not?"

Angie shrugged. "I've put her through enough. She feels like she failed me, and I don't want to be around to make her feel like that..."

"What about your father?"

"He died when I was 9. Heart attack. Mom had to raise me on her own. She did her best but she was always working so I was left alone alot."

Don winced at that. It was a sad but not uncommon story, and it explained a lot.

There was a moment of quiet between them when Darla came to clear the table. Then Angie went on. "I did manage to stay in school and graduate. School was a refuge, really. But once I was out, the last bit of any kind of structure in my life was gone. That was when I started getting into trouble. At first it was just partying with friends and doing some drugs, off and on, but then I started shoplifting. I guess I was tryin' to replace things that were missing in my life."

Don just nodded. What could he say to that? His own childhood hadn't been great but at least he'd had a father and a mother, a good bit of structure, and a bit too much discipline in his early years. He had no idea what it was like to be a latchkey kid raised by a single parent. It occured to him that Angie might have ended up in much worse shape than she had.

"Anyway, you pretty much know the rest of the story." Angie said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry. Sounds like it was rough for you and your mom." Don tried to lighten the mood. "But you have a chance now to put all that behind you, to make a fresh start."

She lowered her eyes, and said "That's what I want to do, but I'm not sure if I can."

Don looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Meaning?"

Angie shrugged. "Old habits die hard, and ghosts of the past come back to haunt you sometimes."

_Not if I can help it,_ Don thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Angie and Don part 4**

It was just past 11pm, and Don took a chance that Danny was at home and would still be up. He rapped lightly on the door to Danny's apartment. If he was asleep Don really didn't want to wake him.

He heard a muffled bump from the other side of the door. "Who is it?" a sleepy voice asked.

_Shit, I woke him up,_ Don thought. "Danny? It's me, pal. Lemme in, huh?"

He heard the lock turn and the door opened. Danny looked a bit bleary-eyed but not like he'd been roused out of bed. He was dressed in sweats and one of those tank shirts he wore. Don could smell beer on his breath as he half-glared at Don and said "You here to brag about your hot date?"

Don winced. _That kinda hurts_. "Danny. Don't do this. You know better than that. You gonna let me in or what?"

Danny stepped to the side and let Don into the apartment. He closed and locked the door. He leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"No, I did not come to brag about my hot date. I came to see if my best friend is ok."

Danny's expression changed. The glare faded, replaced by a look that Don wasn't sure what to make of. It almost looked like Danny was about to cry. _Oh no, don't do that_, Don thought. He knew Danny was hurting, but he didn't think this whole thing had upset him that much.

"I'm sorry Don," Danny said, "I'm bein' an asshole." Danny dropped his head and stared at the floor.

"Comere pal," Don said and approached his friend. Danny looked scared for a second, like he thought Don was going to take a swing at him or something. _No, he know's I'm gonna hug him and he wants to get away from me so I can't... _Don caught him before he could twist away.

"God dammit, Danny, I'm just tryin'a give you a hug. Jesus!" Don got his arms around the smaller man's shoulders, and felt Danny go stiff like a board, then suddenly relax and just sort of collapse against him. He didn't return the hug, but he was no longer trying to escape. Don knew that Danny was very standoffish about physical contact from anyone, male or female, and wondered how the hell he thought he was going to have a relationship with Lindsay or anyone else if he couldn't stand being touched. Don also knew what was beneath the hard exterior. He knew that Danny was in fact a very emotional human being and that he didn't like that about himself. He thought it made him weak. So he'd put on this tough-guy bravado. He knew that if he let someone get close to him, that those walls of defense would crumble and he might cry or do something equally embarrassing. _Like ask Lindsay out on a date..._

"Cryin' out loud, man, you'd think that after all this time you could let your fuckin' guard down around me. You still don't trust me? I thought we were best friends."

He felt Danny pull in a deep breath. Don couldn't see his face; Danny had ducked his head so his forehead was against Don's shoulder. _Comeon, Danny, snap out of this, you're killin' me here..._ he found he was really having a hard time seeing Danny so upset.

Don didn't let go, and finally Danny brought one arm up across Don's back. _That's better_, Don thought. He gave Danny a little squeeze and then let go of him. Danny continued to look at the floor, and Don could tell he was trying not to cry.

"I didn't realize this whole Lindsay thing had you so messed up," Don said.

Danny shook his head, and went and sat down on the couch. Don sat down as well.

"No, I'm ok, it's just... I don't know. The whole thing just sorta happened too fast, you know? I mean, Lindsay and I have been circlin' each for what, a year now? An' I didn't think much of it until she went undercover and all that shit went down. It was like something sort of went off inside me. I can't even explain it. I just realized that I do really like her, and then she blew me off after all."

"It sounds to me like neither of you are sure what you want. That's not a good way to start a relationship." _Maybe I should be heeding my own advice on that..._

Danny shook his head again. "And then I cop an attitude because you get a date. Jesus, I'm a great friend, huh?"

"Well, you know I've said many times that you're a drama queen."

"Oh, fuck you Don."

Don had to smile. He knew that if anyone else had called Danny a drama queen they'd have been decked on the spot.

"So tell me about your hot date," Danny said.

Don sighed. "It wasn't a hot date. I just took her to dinner. Darla says hello."

Danny groaned. "Maybe I shoulda asked Darla out."

"Maybe. But anyway, it wasn't a big deal."

"I still wanna hear about it." Danny said.

"No, you don't." Don replied. He was still feeling apprehensive about telling Danny that he was dating an ex-con.

"Oh comeon, why don't you wanna tell me about her? What's the big deal?"

_He's not gonna let you off the hook. He's your best friend; trust works both ways. Tell him._

"Fuck it. Remember the case we worked awhile back, with that doctor who had the liver hijacked for his sick wife?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

Don took a deep breath. "Ok, well remember I had to question the girl who threw the gun in the garbage can, that the doctor found?"

"...yeah..."

"Ok, well that's the girl I took out to dinner tonight. Angie Watson."

Danny looked at Don. His eyebrows went up. "You are dating an ex-con?"

Don just gave Danny a sheepish look.

"Holy shit." Danny said.

"Now do you see why I didn't want to tell you?"

Danny looked confused. "How the hell did you hook up with her?"

"She just got out, and she contacted me. She left a note on my desk asking to meet me."

"And you met with her? Why, Don?"

Now Don was starting to get annoyed with Danny. "See, I knew I shouldna told you. I knew were gonna react like this. Fuck!"

Danny spread his hands in a familiar gesture. "But Don, you hate criminals!"

"I know! I get that this is outta character for me!"

"Then why?"

"I don't know, Danny! There's something about this girl. It's not just that she told me I had beautiful eyes, or that she just happens to be drop-dead gorgeous. I'm not that weak." Don dropped his head into his hands. "You weren't there, you didn't hear her. She knew every single detail of the street where she dumped the gun. No common criminal is that smart. I remember bein' impressed with her, and I told her I'd put in a word for her if she helped us, and she did. And I did. And then she left me a note. And I met her. And I bought her lunch. And then I took her out for dinner. She's workin' in Marilyn's market and rentin' a room from her. I don't know what the hell I am doing. That's why I didn't want to tell you! I knew you were gonna freak out!"

"Wait, take it easy Don. I'm not freakin' out. I'm just a little shocked is all. Like you said, this is outta character for you."

Don felt like he was about to jump out of his skin. "I need a drink. You got a beer or somethin'?"

"Sure, there's beer in the fridge. Help yourself." Don got up and went to the kitchen. "You want one?" He asked Danny.

Danny shook his head. "Nah, I've had enough for one night."

Don came back with the beer, and sat back on the couch again. He took a long pull from the bottle and sighed heavily.

"The thing is, Danny, I know how crazy this is, but I just can't turn my back on her. I feel like I can help her and that somethin' is pushin' me to do it."

Danny chuckled. "And the fact that she is drop-dead gorgeous has nothin' to do with it?" he asked.

"I'm really tryin' hard to ignore that aspect of it, but she is beautiful. The kind of beautiful that distracts you, you know? Maybe you wouldn't see it. Does Lindsay do that to you?"

Danny shrugged. "Sometimes. Do you think she's attracted to you that way?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Like I said, I've been tryin' not to think about it too much. It's not easy though."

"So you've just been out twice?"

"Yeah, and I've been a complete gentleman. I didn't even kiss her goodnight."

Danny seemed impressed by that. "Wow. You're tough, if you're that attracted to her."

"You have no idea." Don said. He took another drink of his beer. "Anyway, I'm really mixed up inside about this and that's why I didn't want to tell you. I'm still trying to figure it out myself. It's not that I didn't trust you with it."

"No sweat, my friend. I'm glad you told me." Danny made eye contact with Don and said "I just wish I had some good advice to give you. Obviously I'm not too smart in the romance category myself, judging from recent events."

Don shook his head and smiled. "You're doin' ok pal. You're doin' ok." Don drained the bottle and went to the kitchen to toss it in the trash. "I'd better get home. Thanks for listenin' to me rant."

"That's what friends are for." Danny stood up. "And to make you let 'em hug you when you think you don't want it." Danny smiled at Don and reached a tentative hand out to him. Don pulled his friend into another hug.

"It's not that terrible to be touched by a friend, is it?" Don asked him.

"Nah, it's not terrible at all. Now get outta here so I can get some sleep."

"Ok, ok, I'm goin'. I'll see you tomorrow, huh?"

Danny opened the door for Don. "You got it. 'Night Don."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: I know I'm taking a bit of a chance writing basically in "real time", following the events of the latest episodes. But it's fiction, right? So I guess anything goes. Also, I can imagine that some of you are thinking, "oh come on, Angie can't turn into a goodie-two-shoes overnight like that!"Well, I don't know that she is. I know she's been in jail and had lots of time to rethink her life and what she wants. I also know that I am an idealist and I try to see the good and hope for the best in people and events. I feel like there needs to be a stumbling block at some point, but I'm not sure what it will be yet. For now I admit I am enjoying writing Don being attracted to Angie and realizing that he's falling for her. I'm also enjoying keeping Danny close to Don's heart and writing their friendship as very strong and deep.

**Angie and Don part 5**

"Argh! I just can't get this thing to balance." Marilyn said, staring at the computer screen which displayed the spreadsheet she was working on. "I had to have entered something wrong. I hate doing these damn things."

"Want me to give it a try?" Angie asked.

"You know how to do a spreadsheet?"

"Well, it's been awhile but I think I can still remember. I used to do them all the time in school. The computer lab was my home away from home back then. I'd stay there till the lab closed during the week."

Marilyn looked at Angie. "Well be my guest, honey. Like I said, I hate doing these things." Marilyn got up from the chair and Angie took her place. She started going over the worksheet from yesterday's sales, and comparing it to the figures Marilyn had entered. "Ah, yeah, here it is. You transposed these numbers." Angie fixed the mistake and continued to check the spreadsheet against the worksheet. In a few minutes she sat back and said "There. Now it balances." She looked up at Marilyn.

Marilyn looked at Angie, clearly impressed. "Computer lab, huh?"

"Yeah. I always wanted to get a computer but Mom couldn't afford that. She worked two jobs and could barely keep up with the necessities. And of course I was no help..."

"Hey, none'a that now" Marilyn said. "Past is past. But if you wanna do this data entry stuff for me I'd be happy to turn it over to you."

"Really? I'd love to." Angie said, her expression brightening.

"If that works out, maybe we can let you handle the book keeping too."

Angie looked shocked. "But that would include handling the money..."

"One thing at a time, hon. We'll start with the spreadsheet and go from there. Deal?"

Angie grinned. "Deal."

She was thrilled at the prospect of being given more responsibility. She really wanted to start fresh and get her life onto a good path. And she knew that Don Flack had a lot to do with that. After he'd questioned her about the gun and she'd made the decision to co-operate, she'd thought alot about it during her incarceration. To be honest, she'd looked at Don, this smart, handsome man who was living in a completely different reality from hers and realized that he was the kind of man she wanted, not some thug who couldn't stay out of prison and who ended up dragging her there along with him. She'd been bored and at loose ends when she'd met Jason, feeling bad about herself for not helping her mom out by holding down a job for more than a few months at a time, and Jason had seemed like a nice guy until she'd found out what he was into. Before she knew it she was on a downhill slide that led her through shoplifting and petty theft to dumping a gun in a garbage can on 64th Street after a robbery that Jason had orchestrated.

She'd been charged as an accessory, and she didn't know at the time how bad it would be that she was the one who had disposed of the gun. Jason had and that's why he'd given it to her to get rid of. But then she'd helped Detective Flack locate the weapon and at that point the downhill slide stopped. After that it began to get better. Not that being in jail was any picnic. But she'd used the time behind bars to rethink her life and what she wanted out of it. Now she was determined to get it right. And she really wanted Don to be a part of it. She was enough of a realist to know that she was setting the bar pretty high in pursuing him, but there was just something about him that she found irresistable, a feeling she had that she just couldn't shake. Those sky-blue eyes and that soft smile of his didn't help matters. He was one of the most attractive men she'd ever laid eyes on.

But she hadn't seen Don or heard from him since Saturday when he'd taken her out to dinner. It was Wednesday. She was hoping that it wasn't just a fluke that he'd taken her out. She tried not to start worrying that he had just felt obligated to her or that he felt sorry for her. She'd mentioned it to Marilyn that morning.

"Oh honey, don't worry about it," Marilyn had said. "He'll be around. He's a cop. They stay pretty busy in this town."

_Yeah, because of people like me,_ Angie thought. _No, the person I used to be. Not who I am now_.

"I just hope he hasn't changed his mind about spending time with me. I really like him."

Marilyn smiled. "Well if I am any judge, he really likes you too. So I bet he'll be around as soon as he has a chance. Meanwhile you just concentrate on your job, ok?"

"Yes ma'am." Angie had stock work to do, and she got to it.

(in another part of town)

Don was making his rounds, reporting to Mac about a suspect they'd questioned in one of the ongoing cases. He made a point to stop in to the lab to say hello to Danny.

"Hey buddy, how 'ya hangin?" he asked playfully. Danny had been better the last few days, apparently working through all this Lindsay stuff. He seemed to be getting along with her; the tension was easing, from what Don could see when they were all together. He was glad of that; he didn't like seeing his friend hurting. As far as that went, he didn't want Lindsay to be hurting either.

"Checkin' up on me, huh?" Danny said with a wry smile.

"Just friendly concern for your well-being." Don said, making eye contact with his best friend. Danny looked good, like he was at peace with himself for the first time in weeks.

"How 'bout you?" Danny asked. "How's Angie?"

"I haven't seen her since Saturday. I'm heading out that way now."

"You done for the day?" Danny asked. It was almost 6pm.

"Well, I'm on secondary call, but yeah, I'm headed home. The market's not far from my apartment. I'll run by there so she doesn't think I've forgotten her. I haven't even had a chance to call over there."

"It has been a busy start this week, huh?"

"Tell me about it. Anyway, I just wanted to check in and see how you're doin'."

"Thanks." Danny said. "I appreciate it. I'm better. Through the worst, I think. It's gettin' easier to be around her, you know?"

Don nodded. "Good, that's good. Ok well, I'm outta here. I'll call you later, ok?"

"Yeah." Danny looked up at Don and nodded back.

By the time Don got to the market it was getting close to 7pm. Traffic had been worse than usual. Don walked into the market and looked around. He didn't see Angie or Marilyn anywhere. He asked the other clerk if they were in the store and was told that they'd both gone upstairs. Don thanked the kid and went out the door and up the side steps to the apartment. He knocked on the door and waited.

The door opened and Don found himself looking at Angie. Her hair was damp and she was dressed in an oversized t-shirt and pants that looked like pajama bottoms. _Oh my God, could she get any prettier?_ Her eyes looked huge and she seemed shorter than he remembered. He looked down and saw that she was barefoot. He stared at her feet long enough to notice that her toes had red nail polish on them before giving himself a hard mental shake and looking her in the eyes.

...Hey," he said, praying that he didn't sound as disoriented as he felt in that moment.

She didn't say anything at first; she just smiled up at him. Then she said "Hi Don, come in." She stepped aside and he walked into the apartment. "Marilyn, Don's here," she called.

"Where's that handsome cop? Hey honey, long time no see."

"Hi Marilyn. How you doin'?" he may have been speaking to Marilyn, but he hadn't taken his eyes off Angie.

"I can't complain. You must be havin' a busy week." she said.

Don managed to tear his eyes away from Angie and look at Marilyn. "You have no idea. This is the first chance I've had to stop by. I was afraid you ladies would forget me, or think I forgot you."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Marilyn said with a wink at Don. She turned and went back to the living room. Don almost jumped when he felt Angie take his hand. "Come in and sit down. I have news to tell you." she said.

She led him into the kitchen and gestured for him to sit at the table.

"You want some iced tea?" she asked him.

"Yeah, that sounds good. So what's your news?"

He didn't get an answer right away. She filled a glass with ice and poured the tea, put the glass in front of him and then sat down across from him.

"Marilyn promoted me. She's gonna let me do her spreadsheets, the computer stuff. If that works out she might let me handle the money too."

Don could see that she was really happy and excited about this. "Angie that's great!"

"And I love working with computers. I practically lived in the lab when I was in high school."

"You love working with computers? First I've heard of that. My best friend is a full-on computer geek. He does a lot of stuff on 'em at the crime lab."

"Your best friend works at the crime lab?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's a CSI. Damn good one too."

"Cool. Maybe I'll get to meet him someday."

"Maybe. Listen, I really have been busy. I didn't mean to leave you wonderin' what happened to me."

Angie smiled shyly at him. "That's what Marilyn said when I was complaining to her that I hadn't heard from you."

"I'm sorry. But I've been thinkin' about you and tryin' to figure out when we can get together and go out or somethin'."

"Well, my next day off is Friday. How about you?" she asked.

"I may be able to get Friday off, or at least part of it. Let me see what I can do. If nothing else we can go for dinner. Celebrate your promotion." He smiled warmly at her.

"I would love that."

"Good. Well, listen, I've gotta get home. I'm on secondary call tonight and I need to get some food into me in case I do get called out later. But as soon as I know my schedule for Friday I'll let you know, ok?"

"Ok. I'm glad you stopped by."

"Me too." Don got up from the table, picked up the glass and drank the rest of the tea. Angie walked him to the door.

"'night Marilyn," he called.

"Have a nice evenin' Don."

"You too."

At the door, Don took Angie's hand and then pulled her into a hug. He really wanted to kiss her but he resisted. _Not yet. Save that for later_. Unlike Danny, Angie relaxed and seemed to sink into his arms. _Man, this feels nice_.

He let go of her. "Goodnight. I'll be in touch."

She gave him one of her flirty smiles. "'Night Don."

Don felt like he was floating down the steps to the street. He almost forgot where his car was parked. _Snap out of it, Flack. Jesus. _But he drove home with a smile on his face. Life was good.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Ok, this is starting to turn into a Danny and Don story! Ack! I debated whether or not to publish this little passage but I think it reads well even though not alot happens in it. I WILL get back to Angie and Don, I promise!

** Angie and Don part 6**

Don was slowly waking up. He could see light through his eyelids. He felt something... an arm around him, someone lying against his back...? _What the hell? Who's in bed with me?_ He opened his eyes and looked at the hand draped over him._ Wait, that's Danny's hand... _

Now Don remembered. He'd come over here last night and he and Danny'd had that belated pizza and beer while watching some movies that Danny had rented. They'd spent the whole evening drinking and commiserating about the women in their lives, and Don had gotten drunk enough that he thought he'd better not drive home. He smiled as he remembered the first time this had happened...

"I'm too drunk to drive home. Just gimme a blanket and a pillow and I'll crash here on the couch." he'd said to Danny.

"Bullshit, there's no way you can sleep on that thing. The bed's big enough for both of us. Comeon, get up."

"What the fuck? I love ya Danny, but..."

"Oh comeon, Don, what? I thought we were friends. Doncha trust me enough to sleep in the same bed with me? It's no different than if we went camping together. We'd sleep in the same tent."

_This isn't exactly the same thing..._ "Fuck it, I'm too drunk and tired to argue. Lead the way."

Since then Danny had gotten a more comfortable sofa, primarily because Don had taken him shopping and made him do it, but by that time sleeping in the same bed together was an accepted practice and neither of them really thought about it one way or another. They kept clothes and toiletries at each other's apartments as well. Granted it was something more likely to be done by teenage girls than grown men, but Danny and Don had a strong, deep friendship. Each trusted the other with his life, so why make a big deal about sharing a bed? Waking up with one spooning the other occasionally was a bit odd, but Don knew that Danny was asleep and not aware of what he was doing. _If he was awake he wouldn't be this close, that's for sure..._ there were times when Don wondered why, when Danny would avoid a hug, he would allow what to Don seemed like an intimate arrangement, but he had figured it must be because they were guy friends and that Don wouldn't try to hug him while they were in the bed together. He took Danny's hand and disentangled himself from his friend's unconscious embrace, got out of the bed and headed to the bathroom.

While he was in the shower, Danny came into the bathroom.

"Don't flush please," Don said. He didn't want to get scalded when the cold water got diverted to the toilet.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Danny had made that mistake once before and thought Don was going to kill him for it. "Hey, don't use up all the hot water."

"Yes Dear." Don said.

Don breathed in the aroma coming from the coffee mug and took a sip. Danny's coffee was almost as good as his own. _It's a good thing I don't have to work today_, Don thought. He hated to admit it to himself, but he was hungover. Not bad; just a headache. The coffee was helping him wake up, but he needed to rehydrate. Danny emerged from the bedroom, showered and dressed. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down opposite Don.

"You got juice, or Gatorade or somethin'?" Don asked him.

"Nah, I wish I did. I could use it too. You wanna go get breakfast?"

"... yeah, that sounds good." Don got up and went into the bathroom. He found the asprin bottle and brought it back to the table. "I didn't think I drank that much, to have a headache this morning. Did we drink that much?" He shook two tablets from the bottle and downed them with a chaser of coffee.

"I hate to break it to you, pal, but yeah, we did. If it's any comfort to ya, I'm not feelin' all that great either."

Don chuckled and passed the asprin bottle to Danny. "Misery loves company, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Well, let's go find some food. Maybe we should put off shootin' hoops for another day."

"Eh, let's see how we feel after breakfast. We oughta find somethin' to do. It's not often we get a day off together."

"Maybe we can go to Marilyn's. You can introduce me to Angie." Danny looked at Don expectantly.

"Uh huh. We'll see." Don had hoped to get Friday off, which was Angie's day off, but the schedules hadn't matched up, and he wasn't so enamored of her yet that he was going to rearrange his whole life to spend time with her. So he'd picked her up on Friday night, and they'd grabbed a quick dinner and taken a walk in Central Park which was about all Don had the energy for at that point in the week. Today was Wednesday and it was the first day he'd had off in several days. And not only had he owed Danny a pizza, beer and TV night, but he'd missed his best friend and wanted to spend some time with him. They both had women in their lives disrupting the normal flow, so some male bonding was definitely in order. And being with Danny was like being in a safe harbor amidst whatever storm was raging around him.

Not that Don minded a disruption named Angie Watson. But he was getting a little alarmed at just how much of a distraction she could be. It was fine when he wasn't around her. Sure, he'd think about her, but not to the point where it got in the way of his daily life. But when they were together he tended to lose his balance. On the one hand it felt wonderful to have such a crush on a woman, especially when she obviously felt the same way about him, but on the other it scared the shit out of him, because he didn't know where it was leading. They'd only gone out twice and seen each other a few times besides the two dates, when he'd stopped by the store to say hello, but even so his feelings for her had deepened quickly.

"Hey, you still with me?" Danny said, snapping Don out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm here. Let's go eat. I'm starving."

"You were a million miles away." Danny said." Do I need to ask what you were thinkin' about?"

Don just shot him a look.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Ok Romeo, let's hit it. I want pancakes. And eggs and bacon."

"And juice," Don said. "And lots more coffee. Oh, you know what sounds good? A ham and cheese omelet with those homefries with the onions and bell peppers..." They were already out the door and on their way down the stairs to the street, the car, and the diner.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Ok, now it's starting to get interesting. Angie and Don get it on! Actually there is only the buildup to the sex, and I've said before that I won't write the sex act itself but I may get into a bit more detail than I have in previous stories. Hope you enjoy it. **  
**

**Angie and Don part 7**

_At this rate we'll try every kind of food there is in the universe, or at least in New York,_ Don thought. So far they'd had Italian, Mexican, Indian, and Ethiopian. Tonight they were at a Thai place. Don was happy to see that Angie was willing to try something new when it came to food.

"Do you like shrimp?" Don asked her.

"Yeah, I love shrimp. It's my favorite seafood." she said. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, the pineapple shrimp curry is really great. It's got shrimp, chunks of pineapple and vegetables in a red curry sauce. It's not too hot and they'll make it mild if you want it that way. You put it over white rice and it's awesome."

"Sounds great. Let's get it. What else is good?"

"I guess I do get to choose since Thai food is new for you, huh?" Don added garlic pepper beef and the appetizer combo that included egg rolls, fried shrimp and fried wontons filled with cheese. "If you're ok with not worrying about calories, the thai iced tea is fantastic."

Angie smiled at him and said "I'll throw my diet to the winds for one night."

Don grinned back at her. "I haven't noticed you dieting. In fact I'm sometimes amazed at the amount of food you can put away."

She laughed. "Well, I don't eat like that all the time. But I do have a fast metabolism. I burn it off."

"Most women would kill to be able to do that." Don said.

"Yeah but I still have to watch what I eat. I can't load up on sweets or whatever."

When the food arrived, Don watched her to see if she liked the choices he'd made. She did.

"Oh my God Don this stuff is great!"

"Good, I'm glad you like it." Don followed Angie's example and tucked into the meal with gusto. The conversation slowed while they were eating, consisting mostly of smiles back and forth and little comments about how delicious the food was.

"So how's the computer stuff goin'?" Don asked.

"Great. I'm doing the spreadsheets and the price changes in the register too. That's all computerized. The cashiers put in a code for all the stuff that's weighed and the scanner has to be accurate and up to date too. So I'm doing all of that."

"Wow, I never really thought about everything that goes on behind the scenes. I mean, I know they use codes for the produce and such but I didn't really think about the scanners. But yeah, someone has to program all that. So that's what you're doing. And you're enjoying it? That's great."

"Yep. I'm saving money to buy a laptop. Or maybe a Mac Mini. I don't know yet. I just know I'm gonna get a computer."

"We oughta get together with Danny and go shopping. He could help you find one."

"Danny? Oh, your best friend the CSI. How come I haven't met him yet?"

Don shrugged. He hadn't been ready for them to meet just yet. "Well, he's a cop too, and we don't get many days off together. He wants to meet you. I'll see if we can arrange it soon. Maybe we could all go to lunch together."

"I'd like that. If he's your best friend, he must be a good guy."

"He's a great guy. You'll like him." _Hopefully not more than you like me.._. Don found himself wondering where that had come from. He wasn't unsure of his own attractiveness, but Danny was the one the ladies always swooned over. Was that why he was hesitating to introduce them? _Come off it, Flack, that's just stupid._

"I'll set up a lunch date for the three of us. We've just been really wrapped up in some high profile cases lately. It's taking up a lot of our time, cutting into our off time too." He wasn't going to go into any details. He didn't want to talk about Shane Casey escaping, and since it was an ongoing case he couldn't discuss it with her or anyone else. It was an uncomfortable situation that he didn't want to think about right now.

"You want dessert?" Don asked. "They have green tea ice cream."

"God, no, I'm stuffed. But it was all delicious."

"So where to now? Another walk in Central Park? One night we could go see a movie I guess. But you can't talk during a movie."

"The park sounds fine. I'm with you about the movies. Unless it's something I really want to see, I'd rather wait for it to come out on DVD."

Don laughed at that. "Another area where we think alike."

She nodded. "You can watch it at home with pizza and popcorn, and hit pause for bathroom breaks and kick back with friends. Much better, if you ask me."

Don was still laughing. "Well that settles that! No crowded theaters for us. I love it that you think like I do on that."

csinycsiny

It was chilly in the park. Fall had arrived. Soon it would be Halloween. Not necessarily a pleasant thought for Don, who equated such a holiday with wild parties which often led to crimes being committed. No handing out candy for him. But this night was magical, because he was with Angie. She walked close to him, and he put an arm around her shoulders. She was dressed warmly enough, in jeans and boots, a fluffy sweater and that jacket she always wore, the one that contoured in at the waist. Still, the crisp fall air was a good excuse to move a bit closer together, and Don didn't waste the opportunity. He'd been displaying a level of self-restraint that even he found surprising, but she was beginning to wear him down. He'd still done little more than kiss her goodnight when he took her home after their dates, and since she hadn't pushed for more than that he'd followed her lead. But he wanted more, that was for sure. He'd begun to fantasize about what it would be like to make love to her, and that was exciting and terrifying at the same time. He felt like she wanted him too but he wasn't a hundred percent sure and he was really afraid of scaring her away by moving too fast. _Too fast? How long are you gonna wait? Till she gets bored and goes somewhere else?_ It was a bit confusing, and he hadn't been in this position in a long time. He didn't want to screw it up, and he still felt that too slow was better than rushing things. And if he was honest with himself, he was still a bit ambivalent about dating an ex-con...

He felt her slide her arm around his waist. She leaned in closer to him. Her right side against his left, walking slowly, bodies in contact. He felt that thing flip over in his belly again, and he started to feel warm, and felt his heart beat faster. _Get a grip, Flack. Don't make a fool of yourself. _He took a deep breath. And another. _Calm down._ It seemed to be working; his inner voice was getting through to him. She made him feel like a teenager sometimes, like he'd felt back in those tender years when he'd first discovered the wonders of the fairer sex. He'd thought he was beyond all of that, jaded by the things he'd seen and the horrors that human beings were capable of. But when he was around her he remembered that humans had a good side, a beautiful side, that there was hope, a light at the end of the tunnel.

They were walking along a path under some trees. They emerged into a clearing and he looked up at the stars. Even with the amount of ambient light in the city, the stars looked bright and frosty in the chill air. The sky was black against the outlines of the trees. It was beautiful.

Angie stopped walking, and they turned toward each other. Her arms were around his waist, his around her shoulders. She looked up at him. _Talk about beautiful... _ He felt her body warm against his. She reached a hand up and touched his cheek. _Breathe, Don. Breathe._ Her hand went to the back of his neck, and he knew what was coming next. She stood up on tip toes and pulled his head down to hers, and their lips met. This wasn't just a polite kiss like the ones they'd exchanged at the end of an evening. This was a real kiss...no, a string of kisses. He heard her gasp and make a little sound, almost like a moan... Don felt weak in the knees. He'd been wanting this, fantasizing about it for weeks. Her lips were soft and warm, and this felt every bit as good as he'd dreamed it would and then some. Her tongue darted in and touched his, and now it was his turn to moan. He could feel the blood rushing south, and hoped he wouldn't embarrass himself with an erection he couldn't hide. Women were lucky that way. Men, not so much. He could feel himself losing his battle for control of his reactions to her. If they hadn't been outside in a public place...

They pulled apart, breathless, and she looked at him, her dark eyes searching his for something. She seemed to find what she was looking for. Then she spoke.

"So when do I get to see your apartment, Don?"

He didn't fail to get the meaning behind the question. "Are you sure? Now?"

"I'm sure. Now." she said, her beautiful eyes smoldering with something that took away the last of Don's will to resist.

He hoped he wouldn't get a speeding ticket on the way home.

csinycsiny

He was actually glad of the time it took to drive to his apartment. It gave him a bit of time to calm down and get his bearings. He knew what was about to happen, and although it was definitely what he wanted, he didn't want to spoil it by being in a rush. He wanted them to take their time, make it last, make it special.

He unlocked the door and opened it, and reached in and flipped a switch that turned on a lamp on one of the end tables. He stepped aside to let her in. He looked around. Thankfully he hadn't left the place a mess.

"Well, here it is. The humble dwelling of a New York City cop. Nothin' special, huh?" He didn't feel embarassed by his apartment. It was what it was. A place to live, to sleep, a base of operations.

"You've got all the essentials," Angie said. "Kitchen, living room, bathroom. Bedroom." He noticed the pause between "bathroom" and "bedroom" _And man do I want to get you in there,_ he thought. _Shit. Get... a... grip...Flack. Jesus, this is torture. _

Angie took off her jacket, and Don did the same. They both got tossed onto the side chair. She turned to him and took his hand, and led him to the sofa. He could tell she wanted him to sit, so he did, wondering what she had in mind. He soon found out.

She straddled him and sat on his lap, facing him. _Oh crap,_ he thought. _What is she gonna do? _He resisted, with an effort, the urge to pull her against him. She was perched on his legs, far enough back so that she wasn't close enough for full body contact. He was actually grateful for that since he wasn't at all sure how much more he could handle of the tension building in his body. He was hard, and there was no hiding it now.

She leaned forward, and kissed him, gently, sweetly. Prolonging the agony. Suddenly he gave up trying to be a gentleman, threw away any pretense of holding back. He slid his hands up under her sweater and pulled it up, and off over her head. _Oh God, ohmygod, just when I thought she couldn't get any more beautiful... _

She was wearing a lacy bra, and he looked at it appreciatively but he was really more interested in what was captured and held within it. He reached up and unhooked it deftly, and gently pulled it off of her. He gasped. She had the most beautiful breasts he'd ever seen. Round and full and firm. He just stared.

"Don?" she said. He looked up at her. She was looking at him with a little smile.

"Huh?" was all he could manage.

"Should we move to the bedroom?"

_...bedroom...move... God yes, please!_

His eyes gave her the answer she wanted. She got up from his lap and caught his hands, pulling him up from the sofa and to the bedroom with her.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Ok, I lied. I wrote the sex this time. But I tried to write it tastefully and I think I succeeded. Also, this part is written from Angie's point of view. I thought it would be interesting to describe Angie's reactions to Don, and since I am a woman her point of view is easier for me to relate to when it comes to the act of lovemaking.

**Angie and Don part 8**

It was chilly in the park._ Good,_ Angie thought, _it'll give me an excuse to get closer to him. _She walked close to his side and then slid her arm around his waist. _He's being such a gentleman and it's so sweet, so romantic, but God, I want him so much I can't see straight. _If Don wasn't going to make a move then she would. They'd waited long enough. They'd been seeing each other for six weeks. Nobody waited that long any more. She was glad they had, that they'd gotten to know each other first. It would make things easier, more meaningful. The last thing she wanted was mindless sex. Although she felt like she would lose her mind if she had to wait much longer for him.

She knew he wanted her too. She could feel it when they were close together. Right now, with her arm around him, pressing gently against his side, she could feel him breathe deeper. She glanced up at him and saw him swallow, and there was just something else that she couldn't put her finger on but it was there. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

They were walking slowly, and she stopped and turned toward him. She put her other arm around his waist. She leaned into him and she could feel his pulse quickening. She reached up and touched his cheek and was rewarded with his intake of breath. _Just go for it. Just do it._ She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his head down...he was so tall that she had to stand on tip-toes... she kissed him, a string of soft sweet kisses. She gasped-she couldn't help it- and a little moan escaped her lips between the kisses. _This feels so good, he feels so good..._ she pushed her tongue into his mouth and then he moaned. He tightened his hold on her, pressing her against him, and she could feel that he was starting to get hard. _Poor guy, I'd better give him some space... men can't hide their arousal the way we can..._ she pulled away from him a little and looked into his eyes. _I've got him, he's ready. _

"So when do I get to see your apartment, Don?"

csinycsiny

He unlocked the door and flipped a lightswitch on the wall inside the door which turned on a lamp on one of the end tables. His place was small but clean and neat.

"Well, here it is. The humble dwelling of a New York City cop. Nothin' special, huh?"

She smiled."You've got all the essentials. Kitchen, living room, bathroom. Bedroom." _The sooner we can get in there, the better_, she thought. But she wanted to wait just a little longer. She took off her jacket and tossed it on the side chair. Don did the same. She led him to the couch and motioned him to sit. He did, looking at her curiously. She straddled his legs and perched herself on his lap. She made sure to sit far enough back that they couldn't make full body contact. She knew she was tormenting him with this waiting, but she wanted to gauge his level of arousal. It would be important later. It didn't take a genius to see that he was more than ready for what was coming. He had an erection that she could see outlined under his jeans. She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. At that point he seemed to break loose from his mooring of control. He slid his hands up under her sweater and pulled it off. He looked at her bra, and before she knew it he had it unhooked and was carefully pulling it off of her. _Sweet move, Don,_ she thought. But he didn't touch her breasts. He just gaped at them like he was in shock. _Oh, don't torture the poor guy anymore! _

"Don?" she said, and he looked up at her.

"Huh?"_ Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!_

"Should we move to the bedroom?"

The look in his eyes was the answer she needed. She got up and grabbed his hands, and led him to the bedroom.

Once they were there, Angie turned back and made sure the door was halfway open so the light from the lamp would illuminate the room. She didn't want to make love to Don in the dark. He was just too damn gorgeous not to look at. Next she pulled off her boots. She looked at Don and saw that he was doing the same, kicking off the loafers he was wearing. She turned back to him and made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, and peeled the shirt back off his shoulders and let him shake himself out of it. His undershirt was next. She pulled it up over his head and tossed it to the floor.

Now they were both topless, and she took a brief moment to look at the man standing before her. He was slim and wiry, muscles sleek rather than bulky. He was pale in the places where the sun didn't hit him, but with those light eyes that was no surprise. She put her hands on his chest... he had hair there but not too much. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. His skin was soft and smooth. Then she saw the scar on the left side under his ribs and she couldn't suppress a little gasp, but she didn't say anything about it. She didn't want it to distract them. She'd ask him about it later. It was a nasty looking thing. Scary. Then she forgot it, because his hands were on her waist, unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans and pulling them down along with her panties. _Good, that's what I wanted. We finish undressing him last_. She stepped out of the rest of her clothing, bending to pull her socks off as well. _Ok, now it's your turn Don._ With a swift twist of her wrist she undid the buttons of his jeans and then stopped for a second... _damn that is so sexy, a man with pants undone and white briefs underneath... _she pulled his pants and briefs down to his mid-thighs and then pushed him onto the bed. He went down on his back, and she pulled the pants off quickly, grabbing his socks and pulling them off as well.

She climbed on top of him. She'd left her jeans within reach of the bed, because there was something she needed in one of the pockets. She reached over the edge of the bed and fumbled until she got what she was looking for. "What are you doing?" she heard Don ask.

"Getting this." She was holding a condom.

"Oh, got it. I have those too; in the bedside table."

"Good," she said, "we'll need another one later." She smiled at him when his eyebrows went up in surprise.

"This is just round one, Don," she said as she unwrapped the condom and rolled it onto him. She wanted to distract him so that the small but important task would be done before he knew it. It worked.

"Oh shit, I'm a dead man." he said with a smile.

"But you'll die happy..." she smiled back.

"Oh yeah."

After that point things moved quickly. Both of them were so hungry for each other that there wasn't time for much exploration or pillow talk. _We'll get to that later,_ Angie thought. Right now she wanted Don inside her and she wasted no time in getting him there. Being on top had it's advantages. She was in control, and Don seemed to have no problem with that. She had to be careful guiding him in. It had been awhile and she was tight, but it wasn't long before it didn't sting anymore and she lowered herself onto him, pushing him all the way in. He moaned loudly and that was such a turn-on that she almost came right then. It wouldn't be long for either of them. That was why this was just round one.

Her hands were on his chest and she could feel his heart pounding under them. It was strangely erotic, to feel his pulse racing and know that it was she who was causing it to course so quickly through his body. Her heart was beating fast as well, and she was getting close to orgasm. Don's hands were roving over her, cupping her breasts, running down her sides and over her thighs. She knew just where she needed them to be, so she got hold of them and guided them there, onto her bottom.

"Stroke, lightly..." she said to him. He raised his eyebrows and did what she asked. And he did it perfectly with his long fingers, light, feathery strokes, and that was all it took. She convulsed suddenly and cried out.

"Oh, God, DON!" That sent him over the edge as well. She opened her eyes and looked at his face, saw his eyes open wide and then felt him arch up against her, his whole body tensing, crying out, moaning her name... the waves of pleasure that shuddered through her intensified... he looked her right in the eyes in the midst of his orgasm and it was the most erotic thing she'd ever experienced._ I did that to him. Me. I did it. _

At last, both of them spent, she collapsed on top of him and he wrapped his arms around her. They clung together, heartbeats slowing, breathing deeply, feeling the tension drain away. She felt him slip inside her, and reached down to get the condom off of him and tossed it in the wastebasket. She lay back over him again and neither of them moved for awhile. A faint mist of sweat made the skin of their bodies moist and cooled them down as they relaxed into a delicious afterglow. She couldn't remember when she'd ever felt this good. _I could get addicted to this. Very easily. _


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: I was going to make you all wait for the love scenes, but what the heck? I decided to upload them all now because after this the story is going to change direction... This goes back to Don's point of view, which is how most of the story is written. I'm new to this creative writing; I'm actually a portrait artist and bead maker, so I'd appreciate hearing what you think of my writing style.

**Angie and Don part 9**

_Round one? Oh, fuck, I've died and gone to heaven._ After that Don abandoned any attempt at coherent thought. Angie had climbed on top of him and guided him deep inside her, and it felt sooo good, he'd almost forgotten what it was like to feel like this. He let out a loud moan and saw Angie's eyes widen. She was rocking against him, and he knew he wouldn't be able to take much more of this... _I'm gonna come too soon, dammit, but it's just round one... so it's ok... oh god... _he struggled for control. He ran his hands down her back, cupped her beautiful breasts, squeezed her thighs. She got ahold of his hands and placed them on her ass, and he looked into her eyes.

"Stroke... lightly..." she said. He raised his eyebrows. _Ok, I can do that._ He used just the tips of his long fingers, running light, feathery strokes over her skin. He hadn't gotten a good look at her backside, but it felt nice...

Suddenly she shuddered and cried out. "Oh, God, DON!" _Oh shit, that's it, I'm done... _He felt it in the base of his spine, a tightening there like something coiled and ready to spring, building, climbing, on the brink, and then slipping over the edge. He came hard, arching up against her and crying out, moaning her name, opening his eyes and staring into hers, and that was unbelievably erotic. He felt like he would lose consciousness from the intensity of his orgasm. _Damn, this is almost scary..._

The waves of pleasure crested, flooded over him and then finally receded. Angie collapsed on top of him and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, trying to catch his breath. Her weight was on him... not that it was much. She was small and slim. A wisp of her hair tickled his nose, and he brought a hand up to swipe it off his face... he felt himself start to go soft, and he slipped inside her. He was dimly aware of her reaching down to pull the condom off and dispose of it. Then she was lying on his chest, and they were damp with sweat, and Don couldn't remember when he'd ever felt this good.

Round one had two encores. He wouldn't have thought he'd be good for three rounds. _Two, yeah, but three?_ _Well, I have waited six weeks for this. Had to make up for lost time. _But after three rounds, he was done for the night. It was late and he was exhausted. He was trying to decide if he should drag himself out of the bed and take Angie home, or just let her stay here with him and hope he didn't get any looks of reproach from Marilyn in the morning, when the next thing he knew the alarm was going off at 7am. He got out of the bed carefully, letting Angie sleep while he went and got showered and dressed.

The hot water felt great, and he was beginning to wake up, but he knew that if he really wanted to become fully conscious he'd need a large cup of coffee. _I shoulda started it before I got in the shower._

_What a night,_ Don thought. He felt a rush through his body as he remembered what they'd done, how they'd started off fast and almost desperate, and then settled into a long dance of exploration and discovery. Finding the places where they craved to be touched, learning the subtle nuances of making love to each other. A part of him wished they didn't have to work today, so that they could stay in bed and keep exploring, keep pleasuring each other, but having to wait would make the next time even sweeter.

Out of the shower and half-dressed in t-shirt and briefs, he went and started the coffee. He went back to the bedroom. Angie was still asleep. He climbed onto the bed and kissed her forehead and stroked her hair.

Her dark eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him.

"Good morning," he said.

"... mmm. Hey handsome. What time is it?"

"7:30. You'd better get up, huh? You wanna take a shower here?" He knew she had to be at work at 9am, so he had to get her up and moving.

"Yeah, if that's ok..."

"Sure it's ok. Comeon." He peeled the covers back and took her hand, and she got up and out of the bed. _God damn she's gorgeous! _ Even more so with her hair tousled and a sleepy look on her face. _Go get your coffee, Flack. You can't have her again right now so forget it. _

"Coffee's brewin'. It'll be ready when you get out."

She smiled at him sleepily. He pulled her close and kissed her quickly, and was about to let her go when she put her arms around him and hugged him._ There goes that thing in my belly again. Butterflies, I guess that's what they call it. _It didn't feel like butterflies. It felt like some little creature doing somersaults in there. _Whatever it is, it feels really good... _but then, being half-dressed with a sleepy, beautiful naked woman in his arms was getting his blood rushing again... _dammit, no time for this now! _

He turned her away from him and with his hands on her shoulders, propelled her gently to the bathroom, talking to her on the way.

"If we didn't both have to work today, I doubt we'd leave the bedroom, but for now we've gotta get movin'." He watched her go on into the bathroom. _Shit, she's got a nice ass... coffee, Flack._ _Leave her alone or we'll_ never _get outta here!_


	10. Chapter 10

Ok, I'm back with the rest of the chapters. Still keeping Danny very much in the story, as he has been throughout. What would Don do without his best friend?**  
**

**AD part 10**

Don walked into the lab and found Danny staring at a shirt on the table. They'd both been so busy that he hadn't seen his buddy in a few days, so he'd made a point to touch base with him today.

"Hey man, where you been?" Danny asked.

"Workin', same as you. How you doin'?" Don replied.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. You look different."

"Whaddaya mean, different?" Don said with a frown. _Can he tell?_

Danny looked at him like he was studying some of his evidence. It was a bit unnerving.

"What?" Don demanded. Danny kept staring at him. Suddenly his eyebrows went up and a grin spread across his face. He leaned closer to Don and said in a voice that couldn't be heard two feet away, "You got laid."

_Shit, he_ can _tell! _ "How the fuck can you tell that by lookin' at me?" Don whispered fiercely.

"You forget how well I know you my friend," Danny said. "There's just somethin', relaxed, about you."

Don had to smile. "Well congratulations, pal, you figured it out."

"I'm guessin' it was worth the wait?" Danny asked with a smile.

"You have no idea. And that's all I'm gonna say about it."

"Fine, don't kiss and tell. It'd probably hurt too much to hear it anyway. But I'm happy for ya."

"Hey you had your chance with that Suicide Girl."

"Oh sure, end up cuffed to a bed somewhere with my own handcuffs."

"Oh shit, I didn't think of that. So when's our next pizza night?" Don asked.

"You mean you still got time for me?" Danny replied with a raised eyebrow.

"The hell kinda question is that?"

Danny shrugged. "Well, I thought maybe you'd be busy with your lady."

"You asshole. So when?"

"You tell me. Seriously, you're the one with a social schedule."

"How 'bout tomorrow night?" Don really wanted to spend some time with Danny. He needed to be in that safe harbor for an evening.

Danny nodded. "I'll get the movies, you get the pizza."

"That'll work. I'll see ya later then." Don turned to leave.

"Yeah, later. Oh, wait, yours or mine?"

"Ah, yours. Ok?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll see ya then." Danny went back to scrutinizing the shirt on the table.

csinycsinycsiny

Ray's pizza was one of the finer pleasures of life. Washing it down with a beer in the company of your best friend was even better. They'd just started watching X-Men III, the Last Stand. The mutants were at it again. Danny had chosen that and The Blair Witch Project.

"I'm not watchin' that Blair Witch movie," Don said around a mouthful of pizza. "No way."

"Why not? I heard it was funny." Danny said.

"FUNNY! It scared the shit out of me when I saw it. At first I thought it was a true story."

"You can't be serious. Supposedly you never even see what's after them."

"That is why it's so scary, Danny. It's all suspense and what's just beyond the camera. It'll fuckin' freak you out, trust me."

"So I guess if we watch it then you'll have to sleep over so I can hold your hand all night?"

"Smart ass. You watch it and then we'll see who needs hand-holdin'".

"Sounds like a challenge to me."

"Yeah, well I'm gonna love watchin' you get the heebie-jeebies."

"Well it figures you don't want to watch it. I seem to remember the time you had to go into that old monastery, and Aiden and Stella were givin' you a hard time about being scared to go in 'cause there were strange noises comin' from inside..."

"Ah, you kiss my ass, Messer." Don was enjoying the familiar banter; he'd missed it lately. It wasn't just because of Angie; they'd both been busy and working on different cases. Danny'd been running around town with Angell and Hawkes, while Don had been working with Stella, Mac and Lindsay. Their paths just hadn't crossed until yesterday when Don had made a point to go track Danny down in the lab.

"You want any more pizza?" Danny asked him.

"Nah, I've had enough for now." Danny got up to take the leftovers to the kitchen. "I'll take another beer though, as long as your goin' to the fridge."

Danny came back with a beer for Don and one for himself. "Isn't this the one where that one gal gets all-powerful, turns all red and starts obliteratin' everything?" Danny asked.

"Yep. So siddown and shuddup or you won't know what's goin' on."

"Fuck you." Danny said with a smile.

Don was stretched out across half the sofa, his feet hanging just off the edge. He'd taken his shoes off as soon as he'd walked in the door. Danny sat down at the other end, got ahold of both of Don's ankles and pulled his legs up onto his lap. Don raised an eyebrow. _What the hell is he doing? _

Danny looked at him and shrugged. "When you got here you said your calves were sore." Danny started massaging the muscles, his strong fingers digging in and working out the soreness.

Don shook his head with a slight frown. "You know you are a hard one to figure out sometimes. You don't like to be hugged, but you'll let me sleep in the same bed with you. And now here you are massagin' my legs? What would you do if I tried to do that to you?"

"I'd let ya. I might start to back off at first. But then I'd remember that I trust you more than anyone else in the world. And then I'd relax into it, I guess."

"You're like a fuckin' rubix cube. Like a puzzle that I'm always tryin' to put together."

"Yeah, that's why you love me, 'cause I'm so fascinating." Danny continued to work on Don's legs.

"Right. Ow, careful, you're pinchin' me."

"Ah, take it like a man, you wuss."

They watched the rest of X-Men and managed to pay attention to it and get most of the story. When it was over, Danny pushed Don's legs off his lap and got up to switch the DVD to the dreaded Blair Witch movie.

"Let the challenge begin." Danny said. He'd switched on the surround sound when they'd put the first movie in, and it was a must for this film since there were so many weird creepy sounds going on all around the three unlucky college students. Don, having seen the movie once, albeit a few years ago, knew what to expect, but it still gave him the creeps to watch it again. All the strange noises and voices made his hair stand on end. But Danny had never seen it, and Don was enjoying seeing him freak out as he watched it.

"Oh shit! What the fuck happened to the guy?" He couldna just disappeared."

And later on..." What is that? Is that Josh's shirt? Fuck! Is that blood in it? Was that bones or somethin'?"

"Shut up and watch it, Danny." Don wished he wasn't watching it but it was worth it to see Danny's reactions.

The ending scene left Danny staring at the screen with his mouth open and a look of horror on his face.

"Ok you win, that was some scary shit." he said.

Don just laughed. "So who's gonna hold who's hand tonight?"

"I swear to God Don, you try to scare me tonight and I will throw you out the fuckin' window."

"Ooh, threatenin' a police officer. That's a serious offense. I can just go home if you want."

"Bullshit, you're not leavin' me here alone. Like you wanna go home in the dark to your empty apartment. You're just as big a chicken as I am."

"Excuse me, but who picked out the movie in the first place?" Don looked at Danny with a smug smile.

Danny grabbed the remote. "Let's watch Letterman. I need to shake off that creepy shit."

Don couldn't help but laugh.

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"So without goin' into intimate details, you'd say that gettin' horizontal with Angie was a good thing?"

"Oh God, Danny, it was awesome. She's... shit, I can't... oh fuck it, you're my best friend. It was the best sex I've ever had. But it wasn't just sex. It was lovemaking, and it was unbelievable."

"Whoa. Well that's sayin' alot, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but it was. We just fit together perfectly, or as close as you can get anyway." Don looked over at Danny, who was lying on his side facing him.Their eyes met briefly and then Danny looked away.

"What?" Don asked.

Danny shrugged. "I'm envious, that's all. But I am happy for ya. Really."

Don knew that Danny didn't begrudge him this. It was just that he wished he could be in the same position. Don couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't make his friend feel worse. It wasn't just the sex. Danny hadn't had a relationship that went beyond casual dating in a long time, and Don knew that he was longing for it. He'd had a thing for Lindsay for awhile, and for a brief moment Danny had thought they'd get together. But things happened in the order that they were meant to. This was Don's time. Danny's hadn't come yet.

_"_You know it's not all fun and games." Don said. "This whole thing scares me."

"Whaddaya mean?" Danny asked, a slight frown creasing his brow.

"She's an ex-con, Danny. I can't get away from that, you know?"

"Does it really matter? I mean, she's turnin' her life around, isn't she?"

Don sighed. "That's just it, Dan. Is she? I'm worried that I'm blinded by my feelings for her, that I'm not gonna see things clearly."

"Well I don't know about that, Don. You're a great judge of character."

Don shook his head. "Not if I'm thinkin' with my dick."

"Don. More like thinkin' with your heart. And I still can't imagine you could ever be that far off."

"Oh, jesus, I hope you're right, Danny, because I'm not sure I trust my own judgement at this point."

"Well if you'd let me meet her, I could give you my objective opinion, not that it's worth much."

"Your opinion wouldn't be objective, Danny, because you'd be lookin' out for me."

Danny smiled. "You got that right. But it might be more objective than yours."

"Yeah, maybe. I guess it is about time I got you two together."

"Ya think? I'm surprised you've waited this long."

"Well when has there been time, Dan?"

"Ah, you got a point there. Let's see if we can arrange it for next week, ok?"

"Yeah. I promise."

"Good. Now can we get some sleep?"

"Oh, so you're not too creeped out to sleep?" Don asked teasingly.

"Do NOT start with me Flack."

Don chuckled. "Goodnight Danny." He turned over and settled in.

"Night Don."


	11. Chapter 11

**AD part 11**

_Ah, man the sun feels good._ The weather was turning cold but it was noon and a clear day. Danny closed his eyes and soaked in the warmth. He loved the sun. He knew he spent too much time out in it and never bothered to use sunscreen. Stella was forever scolding him for that, pointing out that he was going to get wrinkles on his pretty face.

"Stell, I'm gonna get wrinkles anyway. It's called aging?"

"Maybe, but I bet you'd rather not end up with skin cancer."

"I'll take a chance. That stuff makes me break out." She'd just shaken her head at him and walked away.

He smiled at the memory. He opened his eyes and scanned the street. He was waiting for Don to show up with Angie. They were going to have lunch together. Danny was finally going to meet Don's girlfriend._ 'Bout friggin' time. _He'd begun to wonder if Don was ever going to let him meet her. He'd been seeing her for almost 2 months. Danny wanted to get a feel for who this woman was, and whether he thought she was good enough for Don.

_Holy shit, like I'm Don's Dad or somethin'. _He knew that Don valued his opinion. He also knew that his opinion would be somewhat skewed by his love for his friend and his wish to see him happy. _Just try ta keep an open mind, Messer. _

He saw Don's car pull up down the street; saw Don get out and go around to the passenger door. Danny watched him open the door and saw Angie emerge. Danny's eyebrows went up. _Damn, Don wasn't exaggeratin'. She's beautiful. _He watched them walk up to the patio together. Don, tall and slim, with his sky-blue eyes, fair skin and dark hair. Angie, short, built alot like Lindsay, olive-skinned and dark eyed, with long dark hair. _They look good together. _

"There he is." Danny said as they climbed the three steps up to the patio. "You made it." Don grinned at him.

"Hey pal. Angie, this is my best friend Danny Messer. Danny, Angie Watson."

"Hey Danny. Nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise. I was beginnin' to wonder if this guy was ever gonna introduce us."

Angie smiled at Danny. "I've been bugging him about it since he first mentioned you." she said. "Especially after he told me you were a computer geek."

"Did I say he was a geek? Oh shit. Well, I guess you are, aren't you?"

"Nice. You guys wanna sit out here or go inside? I was just enjoyin' the sunshine."

Don looked at Angie.

"Let's sit out here. It's not that cold." she said.

As they progressed through sandwiches, cheesecake and coffee, Don sat back and let Danny and Angie get to know each other. Danny knew that Don was trying to keep up with the conversation about computers, but when he started talking about Airport and Bluetooth, he knew he'd left Don in the dust. Don knew about processor speed, RAM, and that..._at least as far as I'm concerned_... a Mac computer was better than a PC, but he didn't even try to keep up with Danny's knowledge of such things._ Why should he? That's what he's got me for._ But Don seemed glad to see that they were hitting it off and finding things in common besides him.

"If we can ever find the time, we can all go shopping together." Danny said. "I'd love an excuse to do that. I've been thinkin' about a Mac with an Intel chip, but I'm not sure about it yet. It wouldn't hurt to do some hands-on testing, see if it's really that much faster than the processors they've been using."

"Well I've been out of the loop for a long time, so it will all be new for me." Angie said. "The computers we had in the lab at school were running Windows, but I've been hearing that Mac is better."

"Macs are great." Danny replied. "There aren't any compatibility problems anymore, they don't get viruses... well they do but very rarely. None of the viruses that are aimed at a Windows OS are gonna hit a Mac. They're easier to use... I just like 'em better."

Danny looked at Don. He didn't want Don to feel like he wasn't part of the conversation.

"Hey, don't look at me. I only understood about half of what you just said." Don looked at Angie. "I don't need to; I just ask him and he handles it for me."

They all chuckled at that. Danny looked at his watch. "Well, this has been fun, but I've gotta get back to work." They all got up and after a brief debate over who was paying for lunch (Danny won), he looked at Angie and said, "It was great to meet you Angie."

"You too Danny."

"You headin' back to the lab?" Don asked him.

"Yeah. I was lucky to get out of there."

"I'll probably see you later. After I drop her off I've got paperwork waitin' for me."

"That sounds exciting." Danny said.

"Oh yeah, highlight of my day." Don said as he and Angie were walking away.

"I'll see you later." Danny called. _Well that seemed to go well. _He knew he'd hear from Don later. Don would want to know if Danny approved of her. Danny smiled. _Yeah, I think I do._

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Don looked up to see Danny approaching his desk. "You escaped," Don said.

"Yeah, finally. I can't believe your still doin' paperwork."

"Oh I got sidetracked from the paperwork. I finally got back here and I think I'm about done."

Danny looked at the folders spread across Don's desk. "Doesn't look like your done."

"Well, put it this way. I'm done for tonight. If Mac can leave paperwork till tomorrow, so can I. You wanna go get a beer?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Danny said with a grin.

They didn't go to Sullivans. There was another place they went to together where they could get something to eat along with the beer. Nothing fancy, just burgers and fries, but it was decent food and there were booths where they could sort of hide out and talk. The plates had been cleared and they were into their third round. Don took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It felt good to have a full stomach. He leaned back a bit and looked at Danny sitting across from him. Danny had a similarly satisfied look on his face and when Don met his gaze he smiled.

"So I know you want to know what I thought of Angie." he said.

Don didn't say anything, he just looked at Danny. He didn't just want to know. He needed to know. He was still feeling mixed up about the whole situation, and he really needed a viewpoint other than his own, the viewpoint of someone who he trusted to tell him the truth.

"She seems like a nice girl. I mean, genuinely nice. I would never've had any idea of her past if you hadn't told me."

"It's almost unbelievable, isn't it?" Don replied. "That's why I've been kinda stirred up over it. I mean, could she really have changed that much? I've been worried that I'm not seein' things clearly, like I said. You know I was actually afraid to let you meet her?"

Danny frowned at Don. "Why were you afraid to let me meet her?"

"I don't know. Stupid stuff, like I was afraid she might hit it off with you better than me."

"What the fuck? You don't seriously think I'd move in on your girl?"

"No, hell no, of course not. I wasn't worried about you. But you know, you have stuff in common with her that I don't have, and I kept thinkin' what if she likes him better than me... like I said. Stupid."

"Don, a blind man could see that she's crazy about you."

"Well that's how it seems to me, but you know, a guy can be blind to stuff when he's in love." _Oh shit, did I just say that? Yeah, I did and I can't take it back. But it doesn't matter 'cause it's the truth. _

Danny's eyebrows went up. "What did you just say? You're in love?"

"Oh shit," Don said. "Is that what they mean by Freudian slip?"

"Well I don't know shit about that psychology stuff but Don, are you sure about this?"

Don looked at the table. Then he looked at Danny. "Yeah, I'm sure." He dropped his head to his hand and rubbed his forehead. "Jesus, Danny. I'm doomed."

"Whaddaya mean by that?"

"I did not want to fall in love, with anyone. Least of all an ex-con. What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"Oh I don't know, Don, maybe it's ah, you know, that your human?"

"That's no excuse. I should know better."

Danny chuckled. "Tell that to your heart. Love doesn't work that way Don. It doesn't check in with you to see if the person is suitable or appropriate."

Don rubbed his eyes. _Oh jesus, I'm fucked. I'm in too deep to back out now. _

Danny's voice cut through the turmoil in his head. "Hey, you wanna get outta here?"

"... yeah, let's go."


	12. Chapter 12

**AD part 12**

It was snowing outside. Coming down pretty heavily at this point. A cold wet Winter in New York City. Inside it was warm, there were candles flickering, creating soft golden light in the living room. The TV was on, and the CBS Friday night lineup was in progress. There were various Chinese takeout cartons at one end of the coffee table with plates and utensils. A bottle of beer and a glass of sparkling wine, both half-consumed, were within reach on the end table.

Angie was tipsy from the wine. She snuggled against Don, and he leaned in and kissed her neck. She started to giggle.

"What is it about women and champagne?" he asked, looking her in the eyes with a smile.

"What're you talking about?" she replied.

"I don't know, it just seems like women always get giggly when they drink champagne." Don had a pleasant buzz from the beer he'd drunk, and he was enjoying watching Angie get silly from the sparkling wine. They didn't often drink when they were together. If Don had really stopped to think about it he'd have realized that this was a belated New Year's celebration. Don had worked on New Year's Eve; it was a busy night for law enforcement. Angie had gone to visit her mother. It had taken some work but Don and Marilyn had convinced her to go home and try to reconnect with her mom, and she'd ended up staying there over Christmas and into the new year. It was mid-January now, and they hadn't seen all that much of each other in the last few weeks, and Don had missed her fiercely. They'd finally gotten a chance to spend an evening together, and he was determined to make the best of it. He'd wanted to take her out to dinner but she'd asked if they could just order in and stay home. The idea of just being able to relax together was all the convincing that Don needed. And the topper to this particular night was that by some miracle, they both had tomorrow off. He wasn't even sure what they would do with a whole day off together. _Spend it in bed, maybe? That'd be nice..._ it had been over a week since they'd last made love, and Don was hungry for her, needing her touch, missing the physical bond.

"You tickled my neck, that's why I giggled."

"Oh yeah? That's why you giggled?" he said. "Well what if I tickle you for real? Huh?" He reached for her ribs.

"No, don't! You'll make me pee my pants!" She pushed away from him and got up from the sofa. She only wobbled a tiny bit as she headed off to the bathroom. Don had to laugh. He got up and cleared the dishes and cartons from the table, taking everything to the kitchen, putting the food away in the fridge and turning on the water in the sink to wash the dishes. There was a time when he would have just dumped them into the sink and left them for later, but Danny had taught him to clean up as he went along and he had to admit it made life easier.

With the water running, he didn't hear Angie come up behind him. She slid her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind.

"Look at you, what a good housekeeper you are," she said. "I'm impressed."

"Well, you can thank Danny for that. I used to suck at housekeeping, but I'd watch him clean up after us when I'd go over there and he'd make me do it when he'd come over here and he convinced me that it's really better to just get it over with and not leave it for later."

"Danny's a wise man." she said.

"Yes he is." Don replied. He turned off the water and reached for the kitchen towel to dry his hands. Angie took the towel from him and did it for him, softly, gently, almost caressing his hands with the soft towel. She dropped the towel on the counter and picked up the bottle of lotion that Don kept on the sink shelf. It was really there more for Danny than for himself. Danny's hands got dried out easily from water and those latex gloves he always had to wear, so he'd taken to keeping the moisturizer handy in the kitchen. Angie squeezed a generous dollop of it onto her palm and began massaging it into Don's hands. _Ok, that feels really good... _his hands were sensitive and he found it erotic to have them caressed like this. That little creature started doing somersaults in his belly... _how can just having my hands touched get me so horny? _

"Angie, that feels really good."

"Yeah? You like that, huh?" She gave him that little flirty smile that made his pulse quicken. She had big, beautiful dark brown eyes, eyes he could fall into, get lost in.

"Yeah. I like it." _But then, any time you touch me, I like it. _The lotion was rubbed in now, and he gathered her into his arms and kissed her, softly but passionately. She returned the kiss eagerly, her full, soft lips caressing his in a way that made his level of arousal, as she called it, rise quickly. He pulled back to look at her, to see if she was as ready as he was. Her face was flushed and she was breathless. He kissed the cleft in her chin, and ran his mouth down her neck to her collarbone, his lips just barely brushing her skin. He felt and heard her gasp. _She loves it when I do that._ She was wearing a v-neck sweater, and he kissed the curve of her breast, and pushed his tongue down into her cleavage. He put his hands up under the sweater and caressed her skin. She was melting into his arms, leaning against him, pushing her body against his. He was getting hard, and feeling her against him was making him harder. Suddenly he felt her hand on him, caressing him through the two layers of fabric that separated them. He inhaled suddenly at the touch. He took her hand and pulled it away from his erection, bringing her hands up to rest against his chest. He knew how quickly and easily she could bring him to the brink, and he didn't want to feel rushed. But he didn't want to just stand there making out with her in the kitchen. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

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Making love by candlelight was something that Don really enjoyed. The soft, flickering golden light just seemed to lend itself perfectly to the occasion. Just enough to be able to see everything, but not enough to be glaring or distracting. Bathed in deep shadows and soft subdued glow, they touched and tasted and loved each other late into the night. She always left him feeling completely satisfied but totally exhausted. It wasn't just that she put him through his paces; it was that he couldn't get enough of her. The sexual chemistry between them was amazing. It built upon itself in an ever ascending spiral of desire and pleasure that was almost alarming in it's intensity. The climax was always mind-rocking, teetering on the edge of a precipice and then falling like a roller coaster from it's highest point. He felt it through his entire body, and it carried him through what he could only describe as a sensory overload of pleasure. And knowing, with certainty, that he did the same thing to her only enhanced the experience.

He was lying on his back, breathing deeply and enjoying the pleasant humming radiating out from his groin, into his thighs and throughout his body. The candles flickered, the room was pleasantly warm and he was utterly content. He felt Angie climb back onto the bed after a visit to the bathroom. He turned to look at her as she snuggled against him. He put an arm around her shoulders. She ran a hand over his chest in little circles, and settled a leg across his thighs. He bent his head and kissed the top of hers, breathing in the scent of her hair. She lifted her face to his and he kissed her tenderly. He looked into her eyes. He kissed her again. She responded to him, her lips clinging to his. If they hadn't been at the end of round three, they probably would have started again, but by this time they were both spent, content just to hold each other and make out sleepily.

_She's so beautiful. Damn, I love her... I wasn't planning on falling in love... but here I am... do I tell her? oh, shit..._

He pulled her on top of him and buried his face in her hair, holding her close, feeling her weight on him.

He felt a tightening in his chest. A lump in his throat. A tingling behind his eyes. _Jesus, Flack, don't cry..._

The emotional tide crested. He tried in vain to control it, to keep her from feeling it. He couldn't. She knew.

"Don? What is it? What's wrong?" He could feel her concern, he felt it in the way her hands tightened on him, he heard it in her voice. He couldn't hide it from her. For better or worse, she was about to find out how he felt about her.

She lifted her head and looked at him. He turned his head away, trying to hide the tears. It was useless. She could see them. That was all there was. No sobs, no noise. Just tears leaking from his eyes and a feeling inside him like a fist squeezing his heart. Emotion fighting for release, a heart in limbo, waiting to speak, fearing the answer, hoping not to be broken, _jesus, just kill me now... _it hurt.

"Why are you crying?" he heard her ask. She sounded concerned, worried, confused.

_Just tell her. Just spit it out. She'll either say it back or she won't. _

Don took a deep breath to steady himself. "I was just havin' a little emotional meltdown, sweetie. That's all."

A meltdown over what?" Don wasn't looking at her; his face was still turned away.

He looked at her. "It's just that.. I love you." Her eyebrows went up. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. She looked surprised, mostly.

"I'm not sure if I shoulda told you, 'cause I'm not sure how you feel and.."

She stopped his monologue with a kiss. And another, and a couple more. It felt so good but hurt so much, not knowing for sure if she felt the same.

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Bout time you spit it out. I've been waiting to hear you say it. It's ok, Don. I love you too."

Don felt an immense relief at the realization that they were on the same page, in the same place. _Oh, thank God. I don't know what I woulda done if she hadn't said it back... _No, he did know. It was bad enough that he'd gone through all the mental and emotional gyrations of a cop falling head over heels for an ex-con, but if she'd shut him down, it would have broken his heart.

He gave her a watery smile. She smiled back, and wiped the tears from his cheeks. She cupped his chin with her hand, and traced his bottom lip with her thumb. He nuzzled into the touch, feeling like he was floating, all the pent-up tension and anxiety about this moment now gone. He knew there were still challenges ahead, but love was a powerful force and it could sustain them through what ever would come.


	13. Chapter 13

**AD part 13**

Angie was busy at the computer, inputing data from the sales worksheet to the spreadsheet, when she saw someone walk up beside her. She looked up, and all she could see was a huge bouquet of roses. Behind the bouquet was a woman about her age, but blonde and blue-eyed.

"Angie Watson? These are for you." The girl smiled and set the vase on the desk.

"Oh my God. Thanks!" The delivery girl smiled and walked away. Marilyn passed her as she came into the office.

"Wow, that's quite an arrangement." she said. "I bet I know who it's from."

Angie pulled the card from the holder and opened it. _Happy Valentine's Day. I love you, Don_. She looked at the bouquet. There were two dozen roses, twelve red and twelve white, with lots of baby's breath, assorted accent flowers and greenery. It was a lavish, beautiful arrangement, and Angie's eyes filled with tears as she looked at it. She nodded silently._ Yeah, their from Don. He's such a good man. I love him so much... _

"Honey, they're supposed to make you happy..." Marilyn said.

Angie looked at Marilyn and smiled. "They're tears of joy, Marilyn. I am happy. It's just... sometimes I can't believe this is happening. Of all the men in the world I could have hooked up with, I got a cop, and if that wasn't unlikely enough, he's the most wonderful man on the planet. I mean, what did I do to deserve a guy like him?"

Marilyn walked over and gathered Angie into a hug. "You mean because you used to be a criminal? You got a second chance, honey, and you deserve it. Don't ever think you aren't good enough for a man like him. You trust his judgement on everything else, don't you? So why not his taste in women?"

Angie laughed at that. "You always make me feel better Marilyn. Thanks." Even though Angie had reconnected with her mom over Christmas, Marilyn was, and would continue to be a mother figure for her. She had taken Angie in and given her a chance after her latest brush with the law, and it was in large part Marilyn's nurturing and support that had helped Angie turn her life around. Marilyn and Don were the two most important people in her life.

"Are you seeing him tonight?" Marilyn asked.

"Yeah, if he gets done with work on time. He's supposed to pick me up at seven." It was early afternoon now. She hoped that nothing would get in the way of their time together. _We don't see enough of each other as it is... _New York City detectives worked long strange hours. She'd come to accept that and make the most of every minute that they did get to spend in each other's company.

"Well, I'd better get this spreadsheet finished." _I need to keep busy, make the time go by faster._

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Don climbed the steps to the apartment and knocked on the door. His breath made puffs of steam in the frosty air. It was clear overhead now and very cold. He was bundled up in a heavy jacket with a scarf and gloves.

The door opened. "Hey crimestopper!" Marilyn said. "Comeon in. Whoo! It's cold out there isn't it!"

"You got that right. Hey, did the flowers show up?"

"They sure did, and I must say I was impressed. You did good, honey."

Don smiled. "I wish I coulda seen the look on her face."

"Well, you made her cry, but they were happy tears." They both sat down in the living room. Don wondered why Angie hadn't come out of her room. He knew she wouldn't get too dressed up; it was too damn cold out to wear anything but jeans and boots. _What's she doing?_

At that point the door to Angie's room opened and she walked out to the living room. She was as beautiful as ever, but there was something differerent. _She curled her hair. Wow, that's pretty. As if she's not beautiful enough..._

Her dark hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves. She smiled shyly at Don. He stood up and met her halfway across the living room, took her into his arms and kissed her softly.

"You are absolutely beautiful," he said.

"Thank you. So are you." she replied. He laughed. She was always calling him beautiful, and he was always telling her that that wasn't the correct term when it came to describing men. "Why not?" she'd asked him once. "Handsome isn't enough. You are beautiful."

Tonight he wasn't going to debate it. She could call him whatever she wanted to as long as he had the pleasure of her company.

"Where do you want to go for dinner?" he asked.

"Someplace warm!" She said.

"Well I could use a steak and a baked potato. I'm starving."

"That's fine with me."

"See you later Marilyn," Don said, still gazing into Angie's eyes.

"Have a good time, lovebirds." she said.

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"Whoa, you're as much of a carnivore as I am," Don said, watching as Angie attacked her steak with gusto.

She nodded at him and raised a hand, waiting till she'd swallowed a mouthful before she spoke. "A good steak is one of the finer things in life," she said, "especially when it's prepared as well as this one."

Don nodded in agreement. He'd been so hungry that he felt like anything would have tasted good, but this place did a great job of fire-grilling and adding just the right seasonings. Combined with the baked potato with copious amounts of sour cream, it was a perfect meal.

"So you blew me away with the roses, mister."

"Yeah?" Don said. "Marilyn said you cried. That wasn't my intention."

"I did cry, but they were tears of joy. Nobody's ever given me a bouquet like that. I was just shocked."

"Well you were overdue for it then, and if they were tears of joy, then I guess that means you liked them."

"I love them. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure." Don remembered the first time he'd said that to her and how confused he'd been at the time. _And it was all leading up to this. If someone had told me then where I'd be now, I'd have told them they were fuckin' crazy. But here I am, happier than I've been in a long time._

"Hey, whatcha thinkin'?" she asked him.

"Hm?" he came out of his little flashback.

"You seemed lost in thought."

"I was thinkin' back to that first day we got together, when we met at the diner. It seems like it was just yesterday, but it's been what, five months now?"

"You mean you don't know for sure?" she smiled at him.

"Oh comeon, I don't have it memorized down to the exact date. You can't expect that from me. I'm a guy."

Angie laughed. "I don't know the exact date either, so relax. I'm just glad it happened."

"Me too. Definitely."

After dinner Don took her back to his place. She looked at him curiously as he led her to the kitchen.

"I was gonna get flowers for here too, but I thought of something better," he said to her after they'd shed their jackets and boots and scarves. "There was a case we worked on recently where this gal was working as a maid for this rich guy, and she was planning their wedding, unbeknownst to him I might add. Anyway, we got samples of wedding cakes from the bakery she'd ordered the cake from. They make a flourless chocolate torte that's unbelievable." He opened the fridge and pulled out a pink box. "Wait'll you taste this." He took the torte out of the box and put it on a plate, got out forks and handed her one.

"So this is why you turned down dessert." She took a forkful of the torte and tasted it. He watched her face to see her reaction. He wasn't disappointed.

"Oh my God, that is soo good."

"Mouth orgasm, huh?" That made Angie laugh; she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Don took a bite of the torte. It really was just unbelievably delicious. "Hey, I can think of... well, never mind."

"What were you gonna say?" she asked.

He grinned sheepishly. "I was just thinking of doing like those naked sushi parties, only with this torte."

"Hm, that does sound like fun."

Don dropped his fork on the counter and grabbed her into his arms, capturing her lips in a chocolatey kiss.

"God, I love you." he said.

"Happy Valentine's Day Don," she said around the kisses.

"Let's take the rest of the torte to the bedroom," Don mumbled.

"What's your hurry, detective?"

"Hey, it's Valentine's Day. I've been thinkin' about you all day."

"Hm, same goes for me. Especially after the roses arrived." She put her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss. "Let's save the rest of the torte for later tonight, hm? I can think of an even better dessert..." she smiled at him seductively.

"Yeah, me too."


	14. Chapter 14

Angie and Don chapter 14

"That's your phone Don, not mine." Danny said as he unpacked the bag of burgers and fries he'd brought for dinner.

"No shit Einstein, mine has a different ring," Don quipped, giving Danny one of his famous crooked eyebrow grimaces. He picked up his cellphone and looked at the display. The grimace became a look of confusion. The call was coming in from Marilyn's market. Not the apartment, but the store. _What the fuck?..._

He flipped the phone open. "Don Flack," he said, wondering who was calling him from the store.

"Don, it's Marilyn." Marilyn's voice was barely above a whisper. "We got a major situation here, I'm in the office, we're being robbed and the guy's got a gun, I already hit the silent alarm but your guys haven't arrived yet..."

Don's stomach clenched painfully. "Marilyn, where's Angie?" he demanded. He looked at Danny, who was looking at him with a questioning frown.

"She's out at the safe, Don, he's pointing the gun at her, she's arguing with him, shit! I want to go out there but..."

"No! Don't go out there! You could make things worse. I'll be right there!" Don fought the panic rising in him. "We have to go to Marilyn's, some asshole's got a gun on Angie tryin' to get her to open the safe... Fuck!"

"I'll drive, comeon," Danny said, abandoning dinner and grabbing his badge and gun. Don did the same.

They flew down the stairs and out to Danny's car. Danny opened the passenger door for Don, then sprinted around the back of the car. They took off at breakneck speed and shot into traffic. On any other occasion Don would have given Danny a hard time about driving like a maniac. Not this time.

"What'd she say Don? What are we heading into?" Danny asked as he careened around a stopped car and made a sharp left turn. He had his lights and siren going so the other drivers were giving them at least some leeway.

"Marilyn's in the office. A guy has a gun on Angie, tryin' to get her to open the safe and Marilyn said Angie's arguin' with the guy, JESUS! What is she thinking!"

"Oh fuck you're kiddin' me. She didn't just open the safe?"

"I don't know, Danny!" _This can't be happening, this cannot be happening!_

"Ok, take it easy Don, I'm just askin' so I know what we're gonna be dealin' with."

They skidded around the corner and saw the store up ahead. There were two patrol cars already there. Danny slammed on the brakes and they both shot out of the car, drawing their guns and approaching. Don recognized one of the cops, Wilson was his name. He went to talk to him.

"What's happening?" Don demanded.

"The suspect's down, but he shot one of the clerks. She was hit real bad. She's on her way to Trinity now."

Don looked at Danny. "Come on," Danny said, "let's go."

"Ok but wait, I wanna check on Marilyn..." Don was torn between wanting to teleport himself to the hospital and knowing he had to see if Marilyn was ok. _She's in good hands, it'll be the same if I get there a few minutes later. _

He found her in the office with one of the uni's, giving a statement. The guy recognized him and said, "Hey Flack, what's up?"

"I just wanna talk to Marilyn real quick. Gimme a second?"

"Sure, no problem." He stepped out of the office.

"Don... oh my God Don..." Marilyn was pretty distraught, and started to cry when she saw him.

"Hey Marilyn..." She stood up and hugged him, and they held onto each other for a minute.

"Listen, I'm headin' to the hospital. You gonna be ok here?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Call me when you get there, let me know how she is, ok?"

"You got it. Marilyn, do you think she's gonna make it? How bad was she hit?"

"I don't know, Don, but there was a lot of blood." Don felt his insides twist. "Shit. Ok well I gotta go, Danny's gonna drive me to the hospital. I'll call you as soon as I know anything."

"Ok honey."

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If there was one thing that Danny had never wanted to see, it was Don Flack crying. Danny had seen Don angry, worried, in pain, disgusted and of course happy and laughing heartily. But he'd never seen him cry. As he looked over at Don and saw the tears on his face, he hoped he'd never see it again. His friend sat silent beside him in the car on the way to the hospital. His face was drawn with worry and fear for Angie, and it made Danny's heart ache to watch. He wanted to tell Don that it was gonna be ok, that Angie would pull through this, but he didn't know that for sure, so he kept silent himself, and got them to the hospital as quickly as he could.

Now they were sitting outside of ICU, waiting for news. Angie was still in surgery, but they knew she'd be moved to the ICU when they'd finished the surgery and stabilized her. Danny watched his friend and prayed that Angie would make it through this. Don looked so stressed, so in shock, that Danny found himself wishing he could gather the man into his arms and just hold him, pour strength and peace into him, comfort him until he relaxed. Don's jaw was clenched and he was barely breathing, in shallow little gasps. Danny started to worry that Don would pass out from lack of oxygen.

"Don," Danny said, "take a breath. You're gonna pass out." Don seemed to come back from somewhere far away.

"What?"

"Breathe, take a deep breath. You're gonna keel over from lack of air." Danny pulled his chair around so that he was sitting facing his friend. He took Don's hands in his. Don looked at their joined hands and frowned slightly. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Listen to me. Breathe with me. Come on, in..." Danny pulled in a lung full of air. He nodded at Don. Don took a shallow breath.

"Deep breath, come on man, relax and breathe." Danny took another breath, and this time Don followed his lead and pulled in a deep breath of his own. Danny kept the exercise going and finally Don's face began to relax and his shoulders dropped a bit. He looked up at Danny.

"Better?" Danny asked him.

"Yeah, way better. Thanks man. I didn't realize how tense I was. I guess that's what being scared outta your mind'll do to ya."

Danny let go of Don's hands and moved his chair back where it belonged. He looked at his friend again. Don looked better. Not great, but better.

"Hey you want some coffee or water or somethin'?" Danny asked. "I'm gonna go downstairs and try to find a snack. I'm starvin'."

"Yeah, sure, coffee might be good."

"You want me to find you somethin' to eat?"

"No, I'm not hungry. But thanks."

"Ok, I'll be back as soon as I can."

Danny got up and headed off to the elevator.

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Danny stepped out of the elevator on the ICU floor and stopped short._ Ok, where the hell is Don?_ He wasn't in the chair he'd left him in. Danny looked around the waiting area and spotted Don on a small sofa a few seats down. He almost laughed. His friend was lying down on the tiny thing, lying on his back, and being as tall as he was his legs were draped off with his feet on the floor. Danny approached and looked at Don's face. The man was alseep! _What the fuck? _He set the two bottles of water and the cup of coffee on the table beside the sofa and went in search of the gal at the desk.

"Excuse me, miss? Is there any word on Angie Watson's condition?"

"Watson? Oh yes, she's out of surgery and she's been moved to ICU. She's gonna be ok."

Relief flooded over Danny, and he turned to look at Don sacked out on the sofa. "Did you tell him?" he asked, motioning to his friend.

"Yeah, I did. He moved to the couch and conked out right after."

Danny chuckled. "Thanks." He walked back over to the sofa and looked down at Don. The man looked peaceful for the first time since this whole ordeal had started. The lines of fear and worry had smoothed out. His mouth was open slightly and he was breathing deeply. Danny hated to wake him. _Maybe I'll let him sleep for a few more minutes... _Danny sat down in the chair nearest the sofa and closed his eyes, letting himself relax. Angie was going to be ok. _Thank God._ _I woulda hated to see what Don woulda done if she hadn't made it... _

After about 15 minutes, he woke Don.

"Hey pal, wake up. Flack. Wake up..."

Don's blue eyes opened and he looked at Danny. He smiled.

"She's gonna be ok Dan." Don sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"I heard. Thank God, huh?"

"Yeah." The smile faded. "They won't let me see her till tomorrow."

"Ok well let's go home. You wanna stay over at my place?"

Don frowned slightly and bit his lip. "I hate to leave her..."

"Look, she's in good hands and there's nothing you can do for her here. You need some rest and some food. You gotta stay healthy and strong for her, am I right?"

"Yeah, you're right."

"So you wanna go home or come stay with me?"

"Stay with you."

"You got it my friend. Come on."


	15. Chapter 15

**AD part 15**

"Would you please at least try to eat something?" Danny asked Don when they got to Danny's apartment.

"Danny, I feel like I'll puke if I try to eat." Don was feeling better, but was still pretty shocked out from the night's events. He knew he needed to eat but the thought of food just made him feel sick. But Danny wasn't letting up.

"Just try. I'll make you a sandwich. I got some turkey in the fridge and yes, it's fresh."

"Fuck. Ok, I'll give it a shot, but if I get sick it's your fault."

"Fair enough. But you're not gonna get sick, trust me." Danny went to the kitchen. Don flopped down onto the sofa and let his head drop back. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. Every muscle in his body felt tight and he had a nasty headache. He knew where Danny kept the aspirin but he couldn't muster the energy or the motivation to get up and go get some.

Danny came into the living room, and Don opened his eyes. _Ok, now I have to try to choke down a sandwich. _He looked skeptically at the plate that Danny had put on the table. There was a bottle of water there as well. _Maybe I'll start with the water... _

"I have the worst headache..." Don said faintly.

Danny said around a mouthful of turkey sandwich, "I'll get you some aspirin but you can't take it on an empty stomach so get started on the food, pal." He got up and went into the bathroom. Don sat up and took a sip of water and then picked up the sandwich. He took a bite. He waited a bit and when it didn't come back up he took another. Something shifted inside him and he realized that he was hungry, and then eating the rest of the sandwich was easy.

"See, I knew you wouldn't get sick." Danny said. "Here..." he handed Don two tablets.

"Thank you. Yeah, once I got past the first bite I was fine. Weird, huh?"

"Not really. You've been through an ordeal tonight."

"I keep thinkin' I'm gonna wake up and find this has just been a bad dream."

"Just keep in mind that she's gonna be ok. That's what matters."

"It gives me the creeps to think of her in the hospital. My memories of my time in there are still a bit too fresh."

Danny nodded. "I remember that too. All of us takin' turns sittin' there waitin for you to wake up. I was in shock. Everyone was wonderin' why I didn't seem more upset about what happened to you, but I was just in some kind of suspended emotion mode. They didn't see how I fell apart when I was here alone."

"Or that time when I woke up and you were standin' over me with tears in your eyes." Don smiled at his friend. "I know you were there for me. That's all that matters." Don suddenly felt guilty for being here in the calm and safety of Danny's apartment while the woman he loved was in intensive care... _don't go there, Flack. She's fine. You're not neglecting her... you need some sleep... _ The hospital had his cell number and Marilyn's home number as well. If anything happened, they'd let him know. She was stable and on the mend.

Now that he had food in his stomach, Don was suddenly very sleepy. Danny was doing something in the kitchen. Don got up from the sofa and went to the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror under the bright light. _Shit, I look like hell._ He grimaced at his reflection. There were dark smudges under his eyes and he looked as tired as he felt. He went through his bedtime routine and then went to rummage through the drawer in the bedroom that held clothing that he kept here at Danny's place. There were suits and shirts in the closet as well. He fished out a t-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms and changed into them and then climbed into Danny's bed. His headache was easing up and he was finally beginning to relax. He was relieved to know that he didn't have to work tomorrow; he could go visit Angie and spend as much time with her as he wanted to._ Which will probably be all day... _he curled up on his side and closed his eyes.

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_No, no, I don' wanna wake up. If I wake up I have to deal with the reality of this. If I stay asleep I can hide from it, pretend it's not happening... burrow under the blankets, shut out the world... don't wake up..._

It wasn't working. There was light coming in the window. It was morning. Don was awake. He may have wanted to hide from the reality of last night's events, but his body was forcing him to face it. He couldn't ignore his bladder any longer. _Shit. Damn bodily functions. _He tumbled out of bed and went to the bathroom. Then he wandered out to the kitchen. Danny had just started the coffee. He turned and looked at Don.

"Hey, sleeping beauty." he said with a smirk.

"Fuck that, I look like shit," Don replied.

"The real question is how do you feel?"

"I'm right on the edge of an anxiety attack." He sat down at the kitchen table. "I hate feeling like I'm not in control."

"You'll feel better after you eat somethin'. I'm makin' my special scrambled eggs that you love so much."

"Don't you have to leave for work?"

"Not for another hour, and you, my friend, are not leavin' this apartment on an empty stomach. How 'bout if you go take a shower and it'll be ready by the time you get dressed."

"You'd make a great wife, you know that?"

"Are you kiddin' me? With the hours I keep? Nah, no way. This is a rarity, actually havin' time to cook."

Don knew that this "rarity" was Danny making an effort to give him some TLC. He also knew that if he tried to thank him for it that Danny would just brush it off with a snide remark. Don got up from the table.

_Ok, I'm gonna go take a shower now..._ He just stood there. He could feel the anxiety trying to get a foothold on him, building... he felt like he couldn't move...

"Don? You ok?" Don could hear the concern in his friend's voice. The next thing he knew, Danny was pulling him into a hug. Don realized he'd barely been breathing and took a deep breath. He felt light-headed and he took another breath, trying to get his body to stop this crap.

"Jesus, this is bullshit, I've never felt like this, this outta control." Don clung to Danny as if he were a life line, feeling like the floor was tilting under him.

"Could it be because you've never been in love like this before?" Danny said as he rubbed Don's back, trying to send calming energy through his hands into his friend's tense body.

"If this is love then somebody goofed." Don said.

"Didn't Danny Kaye say that in White Christmas?"

"Huh? Yeah..." _comeon, Flack, get a fuckin' grip already! _

"Comeon, let's get you into the shower." Danny started to guide Don toward the bathroom. Moving seemed to help; as they walked slowly toward the bathroom, the world started to feel right-side up again. Danny turned on the water while Don got undressed.

"Check the water temp before you get in. You gonna be ok?"

"I think so. Thanks. Jesus, I woulda been fucked if I hadn't been with you, huh?"

"Happy to be of service. I'm gonna go start the eggs. I'll leave the door open. Holler if you need me." Danny left the bathroom.

The hot water felt wonderful. Don felt himself shiver as it flowed over his skin, the heat penetrating into his tight muscles and melting the icy lump in his belly. He felt himself start to relax, and as he did, something broke open inside him. His eyes welled up and tears flowed, mixing with the water from the shower. Man or not, he allowed himself a good cry. _I probably couldn't hold this back even if I wanted to... which I don't... _he cried for Angie, for the knowledge that he could have lost her, and that spilled over into memories of his rehab after the bombing, and the pain he felt watching Danny agonize over Louie. Sitting with Stella, helping her piece together her ordeal with Frankie. Lindsay's traumatic teenage horror. All the pain he'd seen and felt over the past year or so. He cried with gratitude at having a friend like Danny who loved him so much that he would take care of him like he was doing this morning, a rock of stability and strength supporting the basket case that he was reduced to right now. The roles had been reversed in the past, and he cried for that too. This huge circle of memory and cleansing tears brought him back to Angie, and the mental and emotional rollercoaster he'd ridden as he reconciled his feelings for her, how he'd try to tell himself that he couldn't date an ex-con, he couldn't fall in love with someone who'd done jail time, and how his heart had done it anyway, taking him on the ride of his life, a love like he'd never felt before. He knew now that it didn't matter what anyone said or thought. She was the love of his life. And he cried for the pain she'd be in, that his beautiful lady was injured so badly, and that there was nothing he could do to change that. But Angie had survived the shooting and would recover, and he'd still have her in his life. Realizing that was what finally brought him to a calm and serenity that he hadn't felt since he got that call from Marilyn. _We'll get through this. We'll be ok. _


	16. Chapter 16

Walking down the halls of the hospital almost brought Don's anxiety back. He really hated that smell, especially after having spent weeks in this same hospital after the bombing. Flashes of memory flew at him like knives and he resisted the urge to flinch out of their way. He took a deep breath and kept walking.

He found Angie's room and opened the door slowly. He was afraid to look at her, but at the same time he couldn't wait to see her. He walked in quietly, and approached the bed.

She was asleep. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. She looked so small and fragile, her olive skin sallow and her hair a mess. She had dark smudges under her eyes like the ones he'd seen on his own face last night. But she was as beautiful to him now as she had ever been. She was lying on her back and he could see the bandage peeking out from the top of her hospital gown, on the left side above her breast.

He wanted desperately to touch her, to prove to himself that she was real and alive, but he didn't want to wake her, so he resisted. He stood beside the bed and watched her sleep; watched her breasts rise and fall, listened to the sound of her breathing. He knew the world wouldn't be right again until she opened her eyes and recognized him, but he knew he could wait.

He went and sat down in a chair in a corner of the room. From it's vantage point he could see her face, and watch for signs of her waking. He realized he'd tensed up again and made a conscious effort to relax. He breathed in and out slowly like he had with Danny last night as they waited for Angie to come out of surgery. Slowly the tightness in his belly began to ease up and he sighed with relief as he felt everything let go a bit. The nervousness, the anxiety was just outside the door, so to speak, threatening to break through again, but he held it back by force of will and with his breathing, slow, regular, calming.

He thought about what he would say to her when she finally woke up. _I hope I don't start cryin' like a girl... but I bet I will. I know I'm gonna wanna chew her out for arguing with a guy who had a gun pointed at her. What the fuck, Angie? What are you, crazy? _He knew he needed to resist the urge to scold her for what happened. She had to have a reason for how she'd reacted. _Yeah, well it better be a damn good one. _He suddenly felt somewhat horrified at himself for being angry with her when she was lying in a hospital bed with a gun shot wound. But he knew it was a natural human response to an event like this.

He found himself thinking about the reaction he'd gotten when his fellow cops found out he was dating Angie. "Flack, you're losin' your grip," one guy said, one of the ones who'd given him a hard time about Dean Truby. "You're way the fuck out in left field, datin' a jailbird." Some of the guys had defended him, saying that his personal life was nobody's business, but many had agreed that he'd stepped over the line into enemy territory with this relationship. But he'd gone through enough agonizing over the whole thing and didn't need anyone telling him that what he was doing was wrong. He'd told himself that same thing over and over again and it hadn't made any difference in the long run. Like Danny had said, love doesn't check in with you to see if the object of your affections is suitable or appropriate.

He'd done his best to let it roll off him, but there had come a moment when he'd had enough of the quips and snide remarks.

"Hey give it up, Mark. Just stay outta my business. I don't judge who you go out with. Enough already."

"Yeah, well I don't date criminals, Flack." Mark said sarcastically. Don walked over to where Mark was standing, and got right in his face and said "Look, my personal life is none of your business. You don't know Angie, you don't know the effort she's made to make a new life for herself, to leave her past behind her. You really think I'd be seein' her if I didn't know she'd made a positive change? Do me a favor and just back the fuck off."

"You've been spendin' too much time with Messer. You're startin' to act like him, makin' bad choices and fraternizin' with lowlifes," Mark said, unwilling to let it drop.

Don stepped in closer. "You leave Danny outta this, you narrow-minded son of a bitch. You don't know him either and you have no right to judge him. You'd be lucky to be half the man that he is."

"Back off, Mark. You're makin' a fool of yourself." That was from another cop, one who was of the opinion that Don had the right to spend time with who he chose and that it was nobody's business.

Don stood his ground, staring Mark down until he finally shook his head and said "whatever..." and walked out.

"You shoulda done that a long time ago Flack." another guy said. Don looked at him and said "Maybe, but I really wish everyone would just leave it alone, just let me live my life and stop questionin' the choices I make. How long have I been a cop? Gimme a little credit. As much of a hard ass as I can be when it comes to people who break the law, I do believe that people can change for the better. And I think I can tell one from the other."

After that the talk had stopped. Nobody even mentioned it anymore.

He heard a faint noise from the bed; a sigh, and Angie moved... Don got up and went to the bedside. She was waking up. Her eyelids fluttered and her beautiful dark eyes opened. Don smiled when she looked at him.

She smiled back. "Hey handsome."

"Good morning sweetheart." He reached out and brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. Something moved deep inside him, a feeling of relief at being able to touch her again.

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Maybe forty-five minutes. I was just watchin' you sleep and thinkin'."

"I must look like shit."

"You're beautiful," he said, and bent to kiss her.

She turned her head away from him. "Oh hell no, Don, my breath must be awful."

"Nothin' that a little toothpaste won't cure." He kissed her cheek instead. He remembered feeling the same way when he'd first woke up in the hospital, although he didn't have anyone trying to kiss him.

She turned back and looked at him. "You look tired," she said.

"Well, it was a long night."

"I'm sorry," she said, and looked like she might cry.

"For what?"

"For putting you through this."

"Oh, don't go there Angie. The important thing is that you're gonna be ok. We can talk later about what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I would like to know what possessed you to argue with a guy who had a gun pointed at you, instead of just giving him what he wanted. What were you thinking?"

"Don, I knew him."

This was a shock. Don's eyebrows went up. "What?"

"I knew him. He was one of Jason's friends."

"Jason. Your ex-boyfriend. The one you robbed the dry cleaners with."

"Yes, Don. It was David, and he was one of Jason's friends. I couldn't do what he wanted."

Don shook his head. "Why?"

"Because I couldn't. What would you have thought if I'd done what he wanted and then you found out I knew him? You'd think I'd returned to my life of crime."

"Angie, I wouldn't have thought that. Baby, you had a gun pointed at you. Did it ever occur to you that he could have killed you?"

"All I could think of was that I was not about to let him drag me down by making me help him rob the store."

"Oh jesus, I don't believe this. You're tellin' me that you would rather have died than do what this guy said because you knew him?"

"Don, look at it from my perspective. I've been in jail, I'm a convicted felon. I can't afford to let anything happen that would screw up my shot at an honest life. I couldn't go along with him. No way."

"Angie, if you're dead you have no shot at any kind of life! Shit, I didn't want to get into this now. You need to rest, and instead you're gettin' all worked up. I'm sorry."

"No, let's get this out and deal with it. You don't seem to realize that what I do reflects on you. You're a New York City cop. It's bad enough that you're dating an ex-con, but what would your guys have said if I'd done what David wanted? You'd never hear the end of it."

Don was horrified. _She did this for me? Oh no, no fuckin' way._ He knew she'd been concerned about her past and how it affected him but he never thought she'd take it this far. He felt sick.

"Angie, turnin' your life around is one thing but riskin' bein' killed is somethin' else entirely. I know you want to make a good impression, but baby, it was a crazy thing to do."

Angie started to cry. _Oh please, don't cry, I can't stand it... _He hated to see her cry.

"What, sweetie?"

"I just worry that I'm more trouble than I'm worth to you."

"Angie, you are no trouble to me. I love you. I wouldn't wanna live without you. Why do think this whole thing has me so freaked out? I coulda lost you. I can't imagine anything worse than losin' you."

"Are you sure you wouldn't be better off without me?" The look in her eyes was like an ice pick in his heart.

"Look, you're tired and traumatized right now. You're not thinkin' clearly. If you were you wouldn't be talkin' like this. _Jesus, Flack, you dumbass, you_ knew _better than to start this conversation now! _"I'm so sorry I got you all worked up like this. You've been through enough. Can we just finish this when you're better?"

"You didn't answer my question." _She's not gonna let up..._

"Jesus. No, I would not be better off without you. I don't know how you can even think that."

"I just love you so much, and I feel so lucky to have you in my life, but I want this relationship to make your life better, not worse."

"You have made my life better. I've never been happier. Ok, yeah, I've had some challenges because of bein' with you, but nothin' that I couldn't handle. You really think I'm gonna let a bunch of people who don't know you and who have no business buttin' into my personal life cause problems for us? No way. Besides, all that stuff is water under the bridge now. The people who had a problem with it have backed off because they know it's none of their business. And no matter what, I'm not about to let anyone come between me and the woman I love. So please, stop sayin' I'd be better off without you."

Angie started to cry again, but this time it was tears of relief and happiness. Don could tell the difference. She didn't seem to be able to speak. She just nodded at him and smiled.

"Listen, I'm gonna go get some coffee or somethin'. Why don't you try to sleep for a while? You'll feel better after you wake up."

"Are you coming back?"

"Of course. I was plannin' on spendin' a good bit of the day here. I'm off today."

"I do feel kinda worn out right now."

"Ok baby, take a nap, and I'll see you in a bit." He bent and kissed her forehead. "I love you Angie."

"I love you too."


	17. Chapter 17

Don checked his watch again. _You're gonna be on time. Relax. _He was picking Angie up at the hospital and taking her home. To Marilyn's. He wanted to take her home with him but he knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't stay home and care for her, and she needed that right now. Marilyn could do it, since the apartment was right over the store. She could go up and check on Angie periodically, and if Angie needed her she could call her and Marilyn had only to go upstairs.

Still, Don didn't like having to turn his beloved over to someone else, even someone he trusted as much as Marilyn. _I wanna be the one to take care of her... _unfortunately that couldn't happen right now. Even if they'd been living together at this point, he'd still have to have someone look after her while he worked. If they'd been married, he could have taken some personal time to care for his wife... but they weren't married.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it. But he knew that they hadn't been together long enough to get married at this point. They needed more time to get to know each other, for the relationship to grow into what it had the potential to be. He loved her like he'd never loved anyone before in his life, and he knew she loved him, but it would be a mistake to rush things. _We have time... but we almost didn't. Shit, it still terrifies me to think how close I came to losin' her. _But rushing into marriage wouldn't change what happened or prevent something bad from happening in the future. She still would probably have been working at Marilyn's if they'd been married. _So relax and just let Marilyn take care of her. She'll be in good hands. _But he still didn't like it.

He'd made sure to get to the hospital early enough to be there before she was actually released. He made his way to her room and found her with a nurse who was helping her get dressed in the street clothes he'd brought from her place yesterday. Marilyn had picked them out; sweat pants and sweatshirt, and a coat that Don had never seen her wear.

"That's because it belongs to me," Marilyn said. "I don't know if her little jacket will fit over a bulky sweatshirt and I know she's gonna be uncomfortable enough as it is."

"Good call. I'm not sure I'd have thought of that." Don said.

"Well, you've had alot on your mind, honey. Anyway, I think this will be good for her to ride home in and she can go right to bed without having to change, if that's what she wants to do."

"You might have trouble keepin' her quiet. She's gettin' pretty restless at this point."

"I noticed that when I went to see her the other day. I think it's a good sign though."

"I guess, but I worry she's not gonna let herself rest."

"You leave that to me, Detective." Marilyn smiled at Don. He immediately felt better.

"I'm so glad she's gonna be with you Marilyn. I wouldn'a trusted anyone else." There was no one he could think of better suited to care for his injured girlfriend.

"Who picked out these clothes?" Angie asked him when he came into the room.

"Marilyn. Why?"

"I'd rather have had my jeans than these sweats."

"Well, she thought you'd be more comfortable in these."

"She's probably right. But they aren't very stylish, are they?"

"Who cares? You're beautiful no matter what you're wearin'."

"Thank you, but you're biased."

"Damn right I am." He bent and kissed her, on the lips this time. She responded, leaning into the kiss, and it felt wonderful. She'd been so weak at first, and then as she started to heal, she became restless and even a bit irritable. Now that she was going home she seemed to be in much better spirits. He knew exactly how she felt, and that had made her moodiness easier to handle.

"Ready to go?" the nurse said.

"Oh hell yeah, get me outta here."

csinycsinycsiny

"God, I am so glad to be out of there." He looked over at her. She was pale and she looked tired but happy.

"I know exactly what you mean sweetie. I'm glad you're outta there too." Don was giddy with relief that she was going home.

They got to the store and he helped her out of the car. Marilyn had been watching for them and came out of the store when they pulled up. Don picked Angie up and carried her up the stairs with Marilyn following. He took her to her room and she started to protest.

"I've been in bed for days! Can't I sit in the living room? Please?"

"Ok, ok, you can sit in the living room," Marilyn said with a smile. Don put Angie down. "You think you can walk that far?" he asked her with a teasing smile.

"Yes, I think I can make it that far. What, am I too heavy for you?"

"That's funny. Come on, let's get you settled. I gotta get back to work."

They put her in the recliner with extra pillows and a blanket. Don tried not to laugh. She looked like a little girl in the oversized chair.Then she gave him a coy, flirty look, and all thoughts of her being a little girl flew out the window. He felt a sudden surge of desire for her. _Jesus, Flack, she just got outta the hospital. Get a grip. _But he couldn't be too hard on himself. It had been too many days since they'd last made love, and he missed her. _What can I say? I'm a guy. _He could wait. But there was one thing he couldn't wait for, and he took Marilyn aside before he left to go back to work.

"Marilyn, I have a big favor to ask you." he was hoping she wouldn't kick him for his request.

Marilyn gave him a slight frown of concern. "What is it honey?"

"Would you let me sleep here with her tonight? Just sleep, nothin' else, I promise. I just need to be close to her."

She smiled and said "I think that'd be ok."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. And I know she'd love that too."

Don felt an immense relief. "I'll clear out early so I don't disrupt your morning routine."

"Oh I don't know, it could be fun to have you here. I can't remember the last time I had a male houseguest. I can make us a big breakfast."

"No, I don't want you to go to any trouble on my account."

"You weren't listening. I said it would be nice to have you here for breakfast. As in, we'd enjoy it. Hm?"

"Well, if you're sure it's no trouble..."

"I'm positive. Now get back to work, copper."

"Yes ma'am!" Don went back to the living room and kissed Angie. "I'll see you tonight." he said. "Marilyn's lettin' me spend the night here with you."

Her face lit up. "No way. Really?"

"Really."

"I don't think I'm strong enough to do anything but sleep."

"I hadn't planned on anything else. We can wait for that. I just need to be close to you."

"I need to be close to you too. I've missed it so much."

"Me too." He kissed her again. "I gotta go. I love you."

"I love you too."

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Don didn't make it back to the store until around 9pm. _Shit, I'm lucky it wasn't later. What a day... _a lot of driving around town and talking to people, along with a few trips back to the squad room for paperwork and followup. He'd spent most of the day with Stella.

"So I hear that Angie went home today." Stella had said.

"Yes, finally. God, I was happy to get her out of there."

"I can imagine."

"It was bad enough that she was in there with a gun shot wound, but she had to be in the same hospital I was in. Talk about nightmarish memories."

"How's she doing?" Stella had been very supportive of his relationship with Angie, for which Don was grateful.

"She's got some recovery ahead of her, she's tired and weak, but feisty, and very happy to be home."

"Sounds familiar." Stella smiled.

Don smiled back. "Yeah."

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"Come on in, Don. You hungry?" Marilyn asked.

"Nah, I got some dinner on the way here. But thanks."

"She's in the living room, trying to stay awake for you."

"Shit, I knew she'd do that. I just couldn't get away any sooner."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. She's been napping off and on all day."

"How's she been other than that?"

"Pretty quiet, surprisingly. I think she's just taking in the joy of being home."

Don smiled. He went into the living room. Angie looked at him as he walked in. "Bout time you got here."

"Sorry. It's been a busy day." He bent and kissed her forehead. "How ya feelin'?"

"Tired, bored. I'll be glad when I can get back to work."

Don sat down on the sofa. "I hate to break it to ya sweetie, but you've got a couple more weeks before you can go back to work."

"Don't remind me. I wish I had my computer already. I'd have a new toy to play with."

"What about Marilyn's computer?"

"I can use hers, yeah. But I want my own."

_Hm. I'll have to see what I can do about that. _

They put Angie to bed at around 10:30. Marilyn stayed up long enough to watch the news and then went to bed. Don watched Letterman and then went to join Angie in her room. He'd put his duffle bag where he could find it easily in the dark. He changed into pajamas and got into the bed beside her. He snuggled close to her and spooned her from behind. By some miracle he managed not to wake her. He lay still, breathing in the scent of her hair, feeling the warmth of her body. Again he felt a profound sense of relief. She was here, warm and alive in his arms, breathing softly in a sound sleep. It felt so good to hold her, this woman he loved so deeply. He silently thanked God that she was here with him now. He fell asleep awash in a happiness like he'd never known before.


	18. Chapter 18

Don was all smiles in the morning. Not only had he had a fabulous breakfast made by Marilyn, but he and Angie had indulged in some lovemaking as well. He'd been the perfect gentleman all night, but things were different in the morning.

It was her doing. He'd been ready to wait until she was stronger, but she'd had other ideas. She'd persuaded him to join her in the shower, and one thing had led to another. _Like I was gonna be able to resist her... beautiful, sexy and naked in the shower with me. _She'd pressed up against him and they'd started kissing, and then she'd taken his hand, turned around with her back to him and put his hand between her legs.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" he asked.

"Oh yes, I can handle it. Please don't say no to me. I need you."

"Like I can resist you. I just don't want to hurt you."

"Trust me, you're not gonna hurt me. Touch me, Don."

_Oh shit. Ok, I'm hooked._ He began to touch her in just the way she loved. He bent and kissed her neck and caressed her body with his other hand. She moaned softly and pushed back against him. He pulled her closer and pressed himself against her. He'd been fully erect when they started and now he could feel the tension building in him, and he realized that he needed this too. _I couldn't stop now even if I wanted to... _

"Oh god, that feels good," Angie said softly.

"Uh-huh. Oh yeah." he whispered back.

She turned her head and looked him in the eyes.

"I love you so much." she whispered.

"I love you too baby." _is it the depth of our love for each other that makes this feel like heaven on earth?_

He kept the rythymn going and soon he felt her climax; quietly, since Marilyn was in the apartment, and a few seconds later he went over the edge; tensing, gasping, trying not to make any noise as he came, bracing himself against the wall of the shower , knowing he had to hold them both up.

At last she relaxed against him. "Oh, Don, that was awesome."

"Yeah it was. You ok?" He was hoping that she hadn't overtaxed herself.

"I'm fine. Ooh, what a rush."

"Can you stand up on your own? We need to rinse my come off your backside."

"Oh!" she said, and started to giggle.

He grinned at her. "Turn around and rinse off." He held her by the shoulders, still concerned that she'd overdone it. He looked at her, standing under the water with her eyes closed and a little smile on her face. _She seems ok. As long as she doesn't keel over on me... _He felt slightly guilty for allowing her to seduce him. _I could have said no to joining her in the shower..._ But he knew that they had both needed this.

They both rinsed off and then he turned off the water. He grabbed a towel and dried her body lovingly, wrapped her in her bathrobe and sat her down on the toilet so he could dry himself. He wrapped himself in a towel and they went back to her room to get dressed. He kept an arm around her in case she got light-headed, but she was ok, walking slowly but steadily back to the bedroom.

"Is she makin' biscuits?" he asked Angie. There was a wonderful smell of something baking wafting through the apartment, along with the aroma of sausage cooking.

"Probably. Biscuits and gravy. You'll think you've died and gone to heaven. I want her to teach me how to cook. She rocks."

Don was salivating. "Damn, I had no idea. And thanks to you I'm now starving."

"Worked up an appetite, huh?" She said with a sexy little smile.

"Ya think?"

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"Hey man, did you get Angie home ok?" Danny asked when he saw Don come into the lab.

"Yep, all settled in. I had breakfast over there this morning. Marilyn is a fantastic cook. She made a breakfast that you wouldn't believe."

"Yeah? What'd she cook?"

She made biscuits from scratch, and made the sausage gravy to go with them. Eggs, grits, bacon, it was a heart attack on a plate but it was so good."

"Grits? You ate grits?"

"Yeah. I didn't think I'd like them but they were actually good."

"Like you ever met a food you didn't like."

"Shaddup. Hey, I need your help with somethin'. I wanna get Angie a computer."

"Yeah?"

Don nodded. "She's got a few weeks of recuperation left to go and she's already gettin' bored. She mentioned that she wished she already had her computer so she'd have a new toy to play with. I thought maybe you could help me pick one out. You know I'm clueless."

"Heh. Well, we could go online and order one and have it delivered to her. She said she wanted either a laptop or a Mac mini, right?"

"Yeah, I think that was it. Whaddaya think?"

"Well, I think that unless she's gonna be travellin' with the thing, that she doesn't really need a laptop. And they are way more expensive. You can set her up with a Mac mini with everything she needs for half the price."

"So you'll help me with that?"

"Of course. You wanna come over sometime this week?"

"Yeah. We haven't gotten together in awhile. Time for a movie night, huh?"

"I've been wantin' to ask you over but you've been pretty wrapped up with Angie."

"I know, and I apologize for bein' an absent friend."

"Eh, it's understandable. I knew you'd get back to me when you were ready."

"How 'bout Wednesday night?" Don suggested.

"That'll work. You want pizza?"

"Yeah. Haven't had Ray's in awhile. I'll bring the movie."

"Sounds like a plan."


	19. Chapter 19

Don sat beside Danny in Danny's living room, frowning at the monitor on the desk. Don was buying a computer for Angie, and Danny was showing him the various models.

"I know she said she wanted a Mac mini but that could just have been because it was cheaper than the iMac. This iMac is a sweet deal. You could get her the 17 inch model which has more than enough memory and a huge hard drive. All you'll have to add on is a printer, and they aren't expensive at all."

Don looked at Danny. "So you think this one is better."

"Definitely. It's a better computer, faster, more features, than the mini."

"Where's the tower?"

"It doesn't have a tower. The whole thing is in the monitor. Look at this picture." Danny scrolled through the gallery and showed Don the slot in the side of the monitor. "See that? That's the DVD drive. Cool, huh?"

"Get outta here. That's amazing. I keep forgettin' how they keep making 'em smaller and smaller."

"All the ports are on the back. Look." Danny showed him the ports on the back side of the unit.

"Ok so this comes with the keyboard and mouse?"

"Included in the price."

"Sweet. So now we just have to pick out a printer."

They went through the purchase process, picked out the printer and printed out the rebate coupons.

"Free shipping, that's nice." Danny said. "What's the address over there?" They set it up to have the computer delivered to the store. Danny printed out the receipt and handed it to Don.

"Congratulations, you have just bought your girlfriend an iMac."

"Thanks Dan. I owe ya one." He smiled at his friend. Danny put an arm around his shoulders. "Not a problem my friend. So what movie did you bring?"

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When FedEX arrived with the computer, Marilyn stashed it in her office. Then she called Don.

"It's here," she said.

"Wow, that was quick. You hide it?"

"It's in my office."

"Ok, I'll be by as soon as I can. Thanks Marilyn."

"Can you come over this evening? I'll make dinner for the three of us."

"Oh man, I can't pass that up. It's a date. I may not be able to get there till around 7 though."

"That's fine. I'll tell her you're coming for dinner."

"Sounds great. Thanks again."

"You got it, honey."

Don snapped his cell phone shut and smiled. _This is gonna be a nice evening. Not only do I get to surprise Angie with the iMac, but Marilyn's gonna cook!_

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Marilyn went southern again for dinner. Fried chicken, baked yams, collard greens (which Don hadn't tried before) and cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet. He was in heaven.

"This is beautiful food, Marilyn. I've never eaten collard greens before."

"Looks like you like them." Marilyn said as she watched him attack the mound of the green vegetable on his plate.

"They're different, not like anything I've ever eaten, but yeah, I like 'em."

"Last week grits, this week collards. What's next, fried okra?"

"Hey, I love food. I'll try anything once."

"Is this pineapple in the yams?" Angie asked

"Yeah, I put pineapple in it, and orange juice too."

"That's what else I taste in there. It's great. I'm used to eating yams with marshmallows on top. I like this better."

"What seasonings did you put in the chicken coating?" Don asked.

"It's my own blend. Salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, and a bit of curry powder."

"Ok now curry powder is not southern." Angie said.

"No, but it's good on the chicken!" Marilyn laughed.

After dinner, when the dishes were washed (Don insisted on helping with that) and they were all relaxing in the living room with iced tea and cookies, Marilyn and Don exchanged knowing glances which Angie noticed.

"You two are up to something. What's going on?"

"Well, Don has a little surprise for you." Marilyn said.

"You do? What is it?" She looked at Don. He grinned at her.

"What!" she demanded.

Don looked at Marilyn, who nodded at him. He got up and went into Marilyn's bedroom, where they'd put the iMac, and got it out of the closet. He brought it out and set it on the coffee table in front of Angie.

The look on her face was priceless. Her eyes got huge, and she stared at the box. Her mouth opened and she she looked at Don, then back at the box.

"Oh my God!!! Is that for me?"

"All for you, sweetie. I know you said you wanted a Mac mini but Danny convinced me that this is better." He went around the table and sat down beside her. She threw her arms around him and hugged him. Then she kissed him, and hugged him again.

"Careful, don't hurt yourself!" he said, holding her. Her reaction was worth the money he'd spent on the computer.

She pulled back and he looked at her. She had tears in her eyes. He knew better than to tell her not to cry. She was an emotional woman. He'd learned that about her, and he knew they were tears of happiness.

"You are too good to me." she said.

"Stop that. Allow me to spoil you a little, huh?"

"I love you so much. Thank you." She looked at Marilyn. "You were in on this too."

"Guilty as charged. Now where do you want it? In your room or out here?"

"I'd kinda like it out here. If that's ok with you?"

"Of course it's ok. I thought we could put it over in that corner."

"That would work." Angie said.

"And we just happen to have a desk to put it on." Don said.

"Get outta here. A desk too?"

"That was Marilyn's contribution."

"You have to have something to put it on." Marilyn said. "Shall we go bring it up the stairs Don?"

"Let's do that."

"Did you see the look on her face?" Don asked as they went down the stairs.

"I wish I'd had a camera. She was stunned." Marilyn said. They walked into the store. "How's everything going, Darrell?" she asked her clerk.

"Just fine ma'am." Darrell replied. They went into the back room of the store where the desk was stashed.

"Why don't you get Darrell to help me carry this thing up the stairs? There's no reason for you to do it."

"That's a good idea. I'm going to bring some chicken down for the boys. They'll love it."

"You're a great mom, Marilyn."

Marilyn just laughed.

Don set the desk and computer up while Marilyn took fried chicken down to her crew. He brought one of the kitchen chairs in and put it in front of the desk.

"There you go, baby. It's all yours". Angie got up carefully from the sofa and went and sat in the chair.

"Marilyn said she'll get the cable thingy so you can go online. She has to call the company to get a second one."

"This is just so awesome," Angie said. "You two are so sweet. I love you both." Marilyn had just come back upstairs. She went and put her arms around Angie's shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. "We love you too honey." Then she hugged Don. "And I love this boy."

He hugged her back. "I love you too Marilyn."


	20. Chapter 20

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to work?"

Angie rolled her eyes at Don. "Babe, I've been ready to go back to work since I got home from the hospital."

She walked over to him and put her arms around his waist. "Wouldja stop worrying about me? I'll be fine."

Don had been dreading this moment. He knew he had to let her do what she wanted, that he could only take his protective instincts so far, but up until this point he hadn't had to face it. He'd shoved it to the back of his mind and just enjoyed spending time with her and letting her get well. He'd lulled himself into a false sense of security, rationalizing that as long as she was still recuperating, she was safe. He knew that didn't really make sense, but it had made him feel less scared so he hadn't argued with himself about it. _The problem with that is that I never really psyched myself up to have her go back to work, and now the day is here and I'm not ready to let her go. But I know I can't hold her back. _

He knew that he was over reacting. The chance of someone else coming into the store and shooting her again was remote at best, but knowing that did nothing to ease his anxiety. His gut clenched painfully as he remembered the night she was shot, and he gave himself a hard mental shake and pushed the image away. _Dammit, I gotta stop this. Come on, Flack, get a grip._

He hugged her tightly and then held her close, trying to relax. He bent and kissed the top of her head.

"You're really nervous about this, aren't you?" she asked, looking up at him.

_Scared shitless is more like it._ "Yeah, I am. I know I'm over reactin', I do, it's just... I keep rememberin' the night you got shot, and now you're goin' right back into the place where it happened."

She reached up and stroked his cheek. She looked into his eyes, and he almost looked away. But he didn't; instead he took a long, slow, deep breath and willed himself, again, to relax. He smiled at her. _I have to at least try to be cool here... I don't want her to start to get scared too... _She was really looking forward to going back to work and no matter how worried he was, he knew he had no right to spoil it for her.

"I'll get over it. I just haven't prepared myself for this moment. It's my own fault. I love you, and I came close to losin' you, and for the last few weeks I've been hidin' from the reality of you goin' back to work, back out there where I can't protect you. Stupid, huh?"

She stood up on tip toes and pulled him down for a few kisses. It made his heart hurt. _Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could love someone this much. It's scary. _

"It's not stupid, Don. I love it that you want to protect me. But I'll be fine. It's not gonna happen again, and if it does, I promise not to argue with the guy."

"Angie..."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't joke about it. It's not funny. But you have to let me do my thing. Look what you do for a living. You're out there where you could get killed all the time. I have to let you go, and you have to let me go. Right?"

"Right. You're right. Well, you better go, it's almost time for you to clock in."

She smiled at him. "I'll call you later. Ok?"

"You better."

"I promise. I love you."

"I love you too baby. Have a good day." A quick kiss and he let her go, into the store. He saw her walk over to Marilyn, and watched the two of them disappear into the office. He went and got into his car, and drove away.

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Two hours later he was at the scene of a homicide, standing over a female victim, putting notes in his memo book and waiting for Mac and Danny to show up. The woman was about Angie's age, and he found himself staring at the body, and he could feel something building inside him... _NO! Do...not...go...there._ He shook his head and looked up to see Danny and Mac approaching. He reported the info he'd gathered when he arrived on scene. He watched Mac walk into the house and then he noticed Danny looking at him. He raised a questioning eyebrow at his friend.

"Hey, you look like you've seen a ghost." Danny said. "You ok?"

"I'm fine. There may have been someone in the house who didn't belong here. Neighbor said they saw someone movin' around. Could be our killer. We checked the place out and they aren't here now. Must've gone out the back door. I got some guys canvassin' the neighborhood."

"Ok, I'll check it out. You sure you're ok?"

"Danny, I'm fine."

"I'm not buyin' it, pal. What's up? Oh, I know what's wrong. Angie went back to work today."

"Yeah, she did."

"And you're worried." Danny said with a nod.

Don gave Danny a wry smile. He knew his friend could relate. "Yeah, I'm worried about her."

"Have you talked to her yet today?"

"No, but she said she'd call me. I'm tryin' not to call her. I'm bein' over protective enough as it is."

"Love'll do that to ya."

"Yeah," Don said with a sigh. "Anyway, I'm gonna go check in with my search team."

"We'll talk later."

"Danny, I'm ok."

"Sure you are. But we'll still talk later."

Don just shook his head and smiled, and then walked away.

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He was on his way back to the squad room when his cell phone rang. He looked at the display. _The store. It better be Angie... please let it be her..._ He flipped the phone open. "Flack."

"Hey, handsome." _Oh thank God._ He felt a relief so intense that he thought he might cry, but he managed not to.

"Hey baby, how's your day goin'?"

"Great. I've been working on the books and catching up on data entry all day. How about you?"

"You don't wanna know."

"That bad huh?"

"No, just the usual, which includes a dead body already today."

"Ugh. I don't know how you deal with that every day."

"Well, it's not every day, and if I can catch the bad guy then it's worth it."

Silence on the line. "Angie?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I was just thinkin' about how I used to be one of the bad guys."

"Don't go there. Hey, you wanna go out for dinner tonight? We'll celebrate you goin' back to work."

"Sure, I'd love to."

"Ok, I'll call you later 'cause I'm not sure what time I'll be done."

"Ok. Hey."

"What?"

"I love you."

Don smiled. "I love you too."

"Bye."

"Bye baby."

He hung up the phone. He suddenly felt much better. Just hearing her voice was amazingly calming. He took a deep breath, let it out and smiled at himself._ Jesus, what a worry wart I am!_

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Don unlocked the door to his apartment, stepped aside and let Angie in. He followed her in and turned and locked the door behind them. He flipped the switch on the wall which turned on the lamp on the table beside the sofa. A soft light illuminated the room. Angie took off her jacket and tossed it on the side chair. Don followed her example and kicked off his shoes as well, pushing them under the coffee table. Angie sat down and unzipped her boots and pulled them off and put them under the table beside his.

Don sat down on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. Unlike the first time they'd done this, the first time they'd made love, he pulled her close against him and held her, and she sank into his embrace, nuzzling his neck and biting his earlobe gently. The little love creature started doing somersaults in his belly...She traced the contour of his ear with the tip of her tongue and he gasped at the sensation, pushing his hands up under her sweater and caressing her skin. She dropped a trail of soft kisses along his neck, across his jaw to the corner of his mouth, and he felt the tide of passion rise inside him, felt his body light up with desire for her... she kissed him on the lips... he opened his mouth and she pushed her tongue in and found his... he was glad he was sitting, because if he'd been standing his knees would have buckled... they were kissing, long, sweet kisses, soft, playful, passionate... he pulled her sweater off and made quick work of her bra, unfastening it and pulling it off. The first time he'd done this he'd just stared at her breasts, frozen in a sort of passion-induced shock, until she'd saved him by suggesting they move to the bedroom. Now he cupped them in his hands and his lips left hers, trailing kisses down her neck until he reached her left nipple... he ran his tongue in circles around it and felt it contract and harden... he bit the tip, very gently. She moaned softly. He moved up and kissed the freshly healed wound above her breast. Something twisted in his chest and he realized it was heartache at her having been injured so, but then he felt gratitude that she was here with him now.

She put her hands in his hair, running her fingers through it. His lips found hers again, and they kept kissing. He wanted her, wanted to be inside her. He was way more than ready for it.

As if she'd read his mind, she started to undo his belt, and then unzipped his pants. She pulled his shirt off... she ran her hands over his chest and down his arms. She stood up suddenly and pulled off her jeans and panties. He felt the fire within him rise several more degrees. She reached out and pulled his pants down far enough to free his erection from the prison of clothing that held it almost painfully. The cool air flowed over his skin and gave him goosebumps. He looked her in the eyes. She smiled at him, and in one fluid movement she took him in hand and sat on his lap again, pushing him deep inside her. Now it was his turn to moan.

"Oh, Angie, you are unbelievable."

"You bring out the best in me." she said.

She rocked against him, slowly. _She loves to do this to me, fuck me slow, too slow to make me come, just enough to drive me insane. Such sweet torment. _But he knew what to do to turn the tables on her. He ran the tips of his fingers slowly down her back to her bottom and started making light, feathery circles. He knew she'd come in a matter of seconds if he kept this up. It worked every time. He looked her in the eyes. He smiled.

"Oh... oh... oh Don!!" She arched against him... he felt her tighten up inside... he thrust once, twice, and the third time was the charm. They exploded together, both shouting, gasping, convulsing, drowning in the tide of release. He was always amazed at the power of their sexual chemistry. Even after all the months they'd been together, they were just as turned on by each other as they had been the first time they'd made love.

She nestled against him, her head on his shoulder, her hands on his sides. He lay back, exhausted but blissfully happy.

"Holy shit, Angie. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better."

She giggled. "It's because we love each other so much."

"That's gotta be it." He'd never felt anything even remotely like this with his past girlfriends. Not that there'd been many of them. He never seemed to find the time. He had nowhere near the number of notches on his belt that Danny had. But the relationships he'd had were never this passionate, this deep, this powerful. He knew this was real love, what he felt for Angie and what she felt for him. And it made all the difference.

"We never even made it to the bedroom," she said.

He started to laugh, and she laughed with him.


	21. Chapter 21

_Dammit, Angie is not gonna be happy about this..._

Don was having an especially busy week. Just when it seemed like things would settle down, there'd be another call out. There was some kind of virus going around the precinct and guys kept calling in sick, leaving the others who either hadn't caught it yet or were more or less over it and well enough to work, to take up the slack. He hadn't caught it yet but he figured it was only a matter of time. And it wasn't just a cold; it was the flu, and one that was bad enough to knock a New York City cop flat on his back. So he was taking vitamin C and washing his hands alot, hoping he could side-step it.

And while he was putting in over time covering for sick fellow officers, he and Angie had barely seen each other in over a week. Never mind that he was dead tired from working double shifts; he was going crazy with frustration at having to keep cancelling dates. He missed her terribly. So far she'd been understanding, but he worried that it was going to start to wear on her soon.

_Shit. Well, I better call her and give her the bad news. _

"Hey handsome," she said when she answered the phone.

"Hi baby. Hey listen, I gotta work again tonight."

"Oh Don! Not again!"

"I'm sorry Angie, but I have to. There's just too many guys out sick, and the rest of us have to cover the shifts. If I catch it someone'll have to cover for me. But in the meantime I have to help take up the slack."

"I know, but shit! I feel like I never get to even see you anymore."

"This won't go on forever sweetie."

He heard her heave a heavy sigh. "Ok, well, I guess we'll see each other at some point, huh?"

"You know we will."

"Do you have any idea what time you'll be done tonight?"

"Not a clue. Why?"

"Well, I thought maybe I could go over and stay at your place. One would assume that you'd come home at some point. We could see each other at least for a little while, sleep together if nothing else."

"That's all I'd have the energy for. I doubt I'd be good company, but if you want to..."

"I do. I'll make dinner and watch some movies or somethin'. You know I'm off tomorrow, right?"

"You are? Sorry, I totally forgot. How you gonna get over there?"

"I'll walk or take the bus."

"Can't you get a ride from someone?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"Cause your gonna be out after dark, and I'd feel better if you weren't out walkin' or on the bus."

"Ok, I'll try to get a ride, but I'm going over there one way or the other. You want me to call you when I get to your place?"

"Yeah, and if I don't answer leave me a voicemail."

"Ok, I'll call you."

"Good. Look, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

He hung up the phone. _Jesus, I need some coffee._

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By the time he got home it was almost midnight. He let himself in and locked the door behind him. Angie had left the lamp on for him. He smiled at that. She'd been cooking at some point; he could smell it lingering in the air. If he hadn't been so tired he would have gone in search of leftovers, but at this point all he wanted was to collapse into bed.

He took the time to brush his teeth and then stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers. He climbed into the bed beside his sleeping girlfriend. She stirred, woke up and turned toward him.

"I was hopin' I wouldn't wake you." he said.

"It's ok. What time is it?"

"About midnight. I am so fuckin' tired I can't see straight."

Angie snuggled up against him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Go to sleep." she said.

The next thing he knew, the alarm was going off at 6am. He groaned and hit the snooze button. He rolled over, and then he smelled coffee brewing. _Oh, bless you my sweet lady. _

He dozed off until the alarm went off again nine minutes later. He hit the snooze button again. _Come on, Flack. Get up. _He opened his eyes and saw Angie coming into the room. She was showered and dressed, her hair still damp.

"I smell coffee." he said. Then he noticed she was holding a mug in her hand. She held it out to him.

"I'm gonna make breakfast for you. You'd better get up. I know you don't want to."

He sat up and took the mug from her. He breathed in the scent of the brew and then took a long sip.

"I'm havin' a hard time wakin' up. This'll help."

"You're not getting enough sleep."

"I'll be ok. Thanks for the coffee sweetie."

"My pleasure."

After his shower, Don was treated to bacon, eggs, fried potatoes and toast. It was lovely to have Angie cook for him. She was getting to be a pretty good cook thanks to Marilyn, and although this breakfast was nothing he couldn't have made for himself, her having fixed it for him made it feel special.

"Couldn't they get some guys from another precinct to fill in for the sick ones?" she asked him.

"I guess, but if they get sick and take it back with them we could have the entire police force down."

"Well that makes sense, but they're working you to death, Don."

"I'm not the only one, baby. I just keep thinkin' about the overtime pay."

"Well it's not gonna help you if you're dead."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "It's not gonna kill me to work some OT, Angie."

"I know. I just hate it that you're having to work so hard."

"I can handle it, trust me."

Angie got up from the table and took the plates and utensils to the sink. She poured him another cup of coffee, and then sat back down.

"I don't know if I could handle working such long hours." she said.

"Well, it wears on me but I do love my job, and that makes it easier. And criminals work all hours of the day and night. You know that."

"I know that? Why, because I used to be one of them?"

"I didn't say that. I just pointed out that crooks are doin' their thing around the clock, that's all."

"But you said that I know that. Like I'm dialed in to their schedules or something."

"Angie, I was just makin' conversation. I wasn't sayin' anything about you."

She just looked at him. He realized that she was angry. _What the fuck?_

"I wasn't sayin' anything about you! Look, you gotta get off this 'I'm an ex-con' thing. That's behind you. Let it go."

"Why should I let it go? You haven't."

Don shook his head. "You're not makin' any sense, Angie. You're tryin' to pick a fight with me, and I didn't do anything to deserve it."

"You're the one who said that I should know what hours crooks keep."

"Would you stop it? I didn't say that. Jesus! What the hell, Angie? Why are you doin' this?"

She suddenly got up from the table. "I'm going home. Have a nice day catching criminals Don."

"Wait a minute. You can't just pick a fight with me and then walk out in the middle of it."

"Watch me."

"I don't believe this. This isn't fair Angie. What's wrong with you today?"

"You know what? Fuck you Don." She grabbed her purse and jacket and walked out on him, slamming the door behind her, leaving him sitting at the table, shocked and confused.

_Ok, what the fuck was that all about? _ The last thing he was expecting this morning was to have a fight with Angie. _Shit. That was our first fight. She just walked out on me! And I still don't know what she's really angry about. Damn. Maybe it's because I haven't been around much. But what is this dialed into the schedules of criminals crap? Dammit, I wish she'd let go of all that. What do I have to do to convince her that I don't see her as a criminal, or even a former criminal. She's the woman I love. That's who I see. _Clearly there were still some unresolved issues there. But he didn't have time to worry about it now. He had to get to work.

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Angie trudged up the stairs and unlocked the door to the apartment. Marilyn would be in the store so she'd have some time to herself to sort out her feelings and figure out why she had picked a fight with Don. The walk home had given her time to think and now she was angry at herself for going off on him, because she knew he was right. He hadn't done anything to deserve it. The poor guy had been working his ass off for over a week, pulling double shifts, barely getting any sleep, and here she was being a stone bitch to him. All he'd done was try to make conversation. She flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Lying down made her think about being in bed with him, making love, laughing, cuddling, sleeping, and suddenly she started to cry. She was appalled at herself for the way she'd treated him. _But why did I go off like that? Why did what he said piss me off so much? It was the comment that I know what hours criminals keep..._

In a flash, what she'd heard described as an "aha moment", she knew where the anger had come from.

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It was another long, busy day. Don arrived at the crime lab with some info for Mac, which he delivered and then went looking for Danny. He found him with Lindsay, going over some stuff on the computer. She left the room when Don showed up, but she said hello to him on her way out.

"Hey Lindsay," he said.

"Hi Flack. You look tired."

"Too many hours and not enough sleep. I wish this damn flu would quit knockin' people down like dominos so we can all get back to a normal routine."

"Better take care of yourself or you'll be next." Lindsay said.

"I know. I'm hopin' it'll side-step me but I probably won't be that lucky."

"I hear it's a nasty flu. Well, I'll see you later and I hope you don't catch it. I'll let you know what I find, Danny."

"Thanks Montana." Danny looked at Don. "Lindsay's right. You look half dead."

"That's about how I feel. And as if I'm not burned out enough from workin' so much, Angie and I had our first big fight this mornin'."

"Well actually that's pretty good, that it took this long for it to happen. What was it about, or should I ask?"

"That's what's weird. I don't really know what set her off. Well, I know what I said that set her off but I don't know why. She walked out on me."

"Get outta here."

"Yeah, and what sucks is that I don't know when I'll be able to get together with her and talk it out."

"You think all your overtime has somethin' to do with it?"

"I think it may have aggravated it. It has somethin' to do with her past, you know, her criminal record. Apparently there are still some unresolved issues there."

"Hm, I wish I had some advice to give you."

"Ah, it's ok. We'll work it out. It was just a fight, not a breakup."

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The storm at work finally started to blow over the next day. Don actually got off work at a decent hour, and was told to take the next day off. Considering the fact that he hadn't had a day off in several days and had been working double shifts, he wasn't about to argue the point.

Instead of going home, he headed for the store. _I gotta talk this thing out with Angie. I can't let another day go by where we don't see or talk to each other. _He climbed the steps to the apartment, knocked on the door and waited.

Marilyn answered the door. "Hey honey, come on in.They finally cut you loose, huh?"

"Finally is right. How ya doin' Marilyn?"

"Fairly well, but there's someone here you need to get back in touch with."

"That's why I'm here."

"She's in her room."

Don went to Angie's door and knocked softly. _She has to know I'm here. She'd have heard my voice... _The door opened and he came face to face with her. _She looks like she's been crying..._

"Hi," he said.

"Hi. Come in." She turned and went back into the room. He followed her in and closed the door behind him. She sat on the bed, and he sat beside her, close enough that their bodies were in contact. He'd missed being close to her, missed it so much over the last several days. He put his arm around her shoulders. He looked at her, but she didn't look at him; she was staring at the floor.

Suddenly she burst into tears. He winced inwardly. It hurt to see her cry. He pulled her against him and held her while she sobbed. He let her get it all out and hoped that once she did that she'd be able to tell him what she was so upset about. Finally she stopped crying and sat up. She grabbed a few tissues from the box on the bedside table. She wiped her face and blew her nose. Don didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She took a deep breath and looked at him. "I must be a scary sight right now, huh?"

"You're beautiful, just like always."

"Don, I am so sorry that I went off on you like that."

"Apology accepted. But what set you off?"

"When you said that I should know what hours criminals keep."

"Angie..."

"No, let me finish, let me get this out. I've had a lot of time to think about it. It's not you. I realized that I'm still having a hard time with the ex-con thing. I thought I'd put it behind me, but obviously I haven't yet. When you said that, I got defensive, and I projected it back on you. What it boils down to is that I was feeling like I'm not good enough for you and that I never will be. You were spending all this time chasing bad guys, which I used to be, and somehow in my mind I got stuck in this loop that it was my fault that you were having to work so hard. I know that doesn't make any sense, but it was like I had lumped myself back in with that crowd, even though I'm not part of it anymore.

If it hadn't been for you, I might still be out there, and it would be me you were trying to collar. I owe so much of my rehab to you. You saved me, Don, and I had a moment yesterday when I felt like I didn't deserve it."

Don took all this in. Clearly she had been thinking about it alot. He was actually impressed by how well she'd managed to sort it out. And up until that moment he hadn't realized just how much of an impact he'd had on her life. He was somewhat taken aback by the revelation.

"And now that you've had time to work through this, how do you feel?"

"Like a stone bitch for putting you through that, even though I didn't understand it myself at the time."

"Is that all?" There had to be more than that.

"No. I realize that I can't keep punishing myself for what I did in my past. I've done my time, I've turned my life around and I deserve a shot at happiness. And it's ok for me to be with you."

"Just ok?"

"You know what I mean. I'm saying that I'm worthy of the love you give me."

He smiled. "That's what I wanted to hear."

"I can't promise that this won't ever come up again, but I think that each time it does it'll get easier, until finally it's a non-issue."

"Com'ere." he said. She let him pull her into a hug. "I love you so much, Angie Watson."

"And I love you, Don Flack. And I don't ever want to hurt you, and I'm so sorry that I did."

"Let's just put it behind us and move forward, ok? No more beating yourself up." She nodded. Then she started to cry again. He held her close, stroked her hair, and let her cry. _She is a woman, after all. A very emotional woman. And I wouldn't want her any other way._


	22. Chapter 22

_It's a good thing I'm too weak to go get my gun, because if I could get my hands on it, I'd shoot myself. _

Don couldn't remember ever having been this sick. He was one of the last cops to succumb to the flu that had torn through the department, felling officers left and right. He'd done almost two weeks of double shifts filling in for his fallen comrades and the overwork and lack of sleep had finally done him in as well.

His head felt like it was in a vise and his body ached all over. He kept shifting from hot to cold, throwing the blankets off, and then huddling under them feeling like he was freezing to death. His sinuses were stuffed up, he had upper respiratory congestion which kept him coughing up crap from his lungs, and he felt dizzy if he tried to sit up. In simple terms, Don Flack felt like shit.

_Oh God, somebody kill me please. _He suddenly convulsed in a fit of coughing which left him exhausted with his head spinning. He was so miserable that he wanted to cry like a little kid.

Somewhere in his sickness-induced semi delirium, he heard something at the front door. It was a key turning in the lock. He hoped that it was Angie, but If it was a burglar or axe murderer, he really didn't care at this point. _Go ahead and decapitate me. Put me out of my misery. _

Angie came into the bedroom. "Hey honey, how ya feelin'?"

"I wanna die. Will you kill me please?"

"Oh, my poor baby. Is it that bad?"

"I'll even load the gun for you."

"Stop. You'll get through this. Everyone else did."

"Not even a bit of sympathy, huh? Did you at least bring me some chicken soup?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. And some cold medicine too. I brought a whole care package for you."

"Well then I'll forgive your lack of sympathy for the fact that I'm on my death bed here."

She pulled something out of her purse. It was a plastic case with a thermometer in it.

"Open up for nurse Angie." she said. He complied. She put her hand on his forehead and then down under his t-shirt. "You are really warm. Are you having chills?"

He nodded, since he couldn't talk with the thermometer in his mouth. She got up and went out of the room for a few minutes, and he faintly heard her in the kitchen. She came back and pulled the thermometer out of his mouth.

"What's the verdict?" he asked.

"101.8. I don't know how bad that is, but I'll find out."

"Can you help me up? I almost pissed myself when I started coughin' earlier but I've been dizzy so I'm afraid to get up. I was considerin' crawlin' to the bathroom when you showed up."

"Oh my God. Come on, I think I can get you in there." She managed to get him to the bathroom. He was so light-headed that he had to sit on the toilet instead of stand over it. _At this point I don't care. What a relief. _

"Ah. You're my angel of mercy. Or my Angie of mercy. Fuck, I'm delirious." He start to laugh weakly, and then he felt like he was going to cry. "Jesus, Angie, I've never been this sick."

"Let's get you back to bed." He leaned on her while she took him back to the bedroom. She got him down on the bed and covered him with the blankets, which was good because he was freezing again. He turned on his side and curled up in a fetal position.

"I'm gonna bring you some of that soup, and some stuff to make you feel better, I hope."

"I don't know if I can eat, baby. But I'll try."

"That's all I ask."

csinycsinycsiny

Angie went into the kitchen and pulled her cell phone out of her purse. She input a number from her address book and waited.

"Marilyn? Hey it's me."

"Hey honey, how's our cop?"

"He's really sick, Marilyn. I'm worried about him. He's got a fever of almost 102. Is that bad?"

"It's pretty high, but if you give him some aspirin or cold stuff it should come down. You need to get some fluids into him right away. How's his stomach?"

"He didn't say anything about it."

Did you take any Gatorade over there?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm warming up some soup for him too."

"Ok, good. Don't try to make him eat too much. Just get a little into him. If it stays down you can give him more later. Last thing he needs is to start throwing up on top of everything else. The fluids are more important than the soup at this point."

"Ok, thanks. Anything else?"

"Yeah, wash your hands alot. And don't kiss him. I'd hate to see you get this damn flu."

"Believe me, I don't want it! Ok, I'll talk to you later."

csinycsinycsiny

"If you can make out to the living room I could put fresh sheets on the bed." She'd already helped him change into clean pajamas.

"You don't have to bother with that, baby."

"I think I need to because you sweat all over these when your fever broke. You don't want to sleep on damp sheets. It'll make you feel better to sleep on clean ones."

He was already feeling better. She'd given him some cold remedy which had brought down his fever and eased his aches and pains. He'd eaten a little soup and drunk at least 32 ounces of Gatorade, and although he was still miserable he was no longer suicidal.

"Ok, I guess you're right. Shit, I gotta pee again." He made it to the bathroom on his own this time, and then went out and lay down on the sofa. He turned on the TV. The evening news was on. He watched idly, strangely comforted by the voices coming from the set. It had been so quiet in the apartment all day, the silence broken only by his moans of misery and his coughing fits. The simple act of watching the evening news made him feel slightly more like a human being again.

He could hear Angie in the bedroom, pulling the sheets off the bed and replacing them with clean ones. After a few minutes she came out of the bedroom with his laundry basket, the sheets on top of his dirty clothes.

"No, Angie, you do not have to do my laundry." He didn't want her to be his servant.

"I know I don't have to. But what if I want to?"

"I'm too weak to argue. Do you have enough change? I just put a roll of quarters in the jar." He had a jar in the kitchen that held his laundry quarters.

"I've got enough to get started. I'll be back in a few." She went out the door and closed and locked it behind her.

Don closed his eyes. He wanted to cry with relief at how much better he felt now than he had two hours ago. _Thank God Angie showed up, or I'd still be laying in bed in complete misery. Or unconscious on the floor from hittin' my head tryin' to get to the bathroom on my own._

He got hit with another coughing fit just as Angie came back from the laundry room. He sat up and leaned over, trying to get his lungs to clear. Angie put a box of tissues on the coffee table just in time for him to hack up a bunch of crap that he spit into a tissue. The coughing subsided finally. He looked at her.

"I knew that was coming." she said.

"Thanks." He breathed as deeply as he could without triggering another fit, and leaned back against the sofa. "Thank you for saving my life."

"What?"

"I feel so much better than I did before you got here. If you hadn't shown up I'd still be layin' in there feelin' like I was gonna die."

"If I'd known you were this sick I'd have gotten here sooner."

"Well, I didn't call you because I don't want you to catch this thing. It's a bitch."

"Well, I brought Lysol to spray on stuff that you've been in contact with, and I'm washing my hands alot. And I'm not allowed to kiss you."

"Says who? Not that I'd let you right now."

"Says Marilyn."

"I shoulda known. Marilyn's lookin' out for you."

"And for you. She made the soup."

"And it's delicious, by the way."

"You want some more?"

"Yeah, I think I could eat some more of it."

"Good, you need to eat and get your strength back."

Even with Marilyn's chicken soup and Angie's TLC, it was another week before Don was well enough to go back to work.


	23. Chapter 23

"Hey detective, what's up? Angie's downstairs in the store."

"Hi Marilyn. I actually came to talk to you."

"Well, come on in." Marilyn stepped aside and let Don in. "Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

Don sat down on the sofa. Now that he was here, he was nervous. He was about to take a big step, make a big change in his life, and this conversation with Marilyn was only the start of it.

"You're probably gonna think I'm nuts, but here goes. I want to ask Angie to move in with me, and I want to know what you think."

"Why do you need my opinion?" Marilyn asked, not unkindly.

"Because even though Angie's an adult, you're a mom figure for her. You two have almost a mother-daughter relationship. You've invested a lot of time and energy into helping her get her life turned around, and even though I don't need your permission to live with her, I respect your opinion."

Marilyn smiled. "I knew this would happen eventually. It's only natural that two people as deeply in love as you are would want to live together."

"I haven't talked to her about it yet. I wanted to hear what you think first. I don't even know if she'd want to live with me."

"Oh, trust me, Don, she wants it. She's talked about it more than a few times."

Hearing this gave Don a wonderful feeling of joy and of relief to know that Angie wanted this too.

"Well that's good to hear. That's another reason why I wanted to talk to you, was to ask if you thought she'd want it too."

"She does. Now let me ask you a question. It's none of my business, of course, so you don't have to answer. What about marriage?"

"I've been thinkin' about that too. I don't think we've known each other long enough yet. I'm not afraid of the commitment, believe me. I hope it works out and that we will get married. But I'm not sure how she feels and I don't want to rush things. Does that make sense?"

"It does to me. And I'm not implying that living together without being married is a bad thing. The divorce rate is so high in this country that these days it's a good idea to live together for a while first. At least, that's my opinion. And the funny thing is that the couples who aren't married last longer than the ones who are. I just wanted to hear where you stood on the subject. Have you talked to your friend Danny about this?"

"Yeah, I did, and he gave me his blessing."

"That's good. Well, I'd say go for it and you have my blessing too. I love you both and I want you to be happy."

Don couldn't help grinning like a cheshire cat. He'd been tumbling this around in his head for the past few weeks, and this was what he'd needed to help him decide.

"I think we'd need to get a bigger place. Mine's pretty small. Not only that but we'll be merging two lives and it would be good to pick out a place together, and then furnish it together and all, instead of her movin' into a place that I've lived in, that's been essentially a bachelor pad for the last several years."

"That's one of the things I love about you, honey. You always try to think of the other person, to see beyond yourself, to look at the bigger picture."

"Well, thank you for the compliment. I think it's important to do that. It's a big world with a lot of people in it and we all affect each other whether we realize it or not."

"I agree. So when do you plan to ask her?"

"As soon as possible. Now that I've made up my mind I don't want to waste any more time."

csinycsinycsiny

The next evening that they both had free, Don took Angie to their favorite italian restaurant. He wasn't sure exactly when he'd bring up the subject of them moving in together, but the food there was great and the atmosphere was cozy. _I'll just roll with it and bring it up when the timing feels right._

"I can't decide what I want tonight. Something besides chicken marsala for a change."

"Well, how hungry are you? The ravioli is fantastic but it's pretty filling. Of course, you can always take home what you can't eat here."

"Ravioli sounds good but I'm thinking the vegetable lasagna sounds better."

"It's pretty good. Of course I like the one with the meat better."

She smiled at him. "Must be a guy thing. Pizza sounds good too but I know this isn't Ray's."

"So what? The pizza here is great. We can get pizza if you want it."

They finally opted for a pizza, and they got a bottle of wine to go with it. They had a leisurely dinner, talking about work and life, and Angie's online website design classes.

"So you're pickin' it up pretty easily?" Don asked.

"Yeah, and I love it. I could do it for money, you know. People pay other people to build websites for them."

"Sounds great, especially if it's something you love doing."

"I do, and I love my computer too. I'm having so much fun with it."

Don smiled. He was glad he'd bought her the iMac. It was the perfect thing to help her through her rehab, and now she was learning how to build websites. He didn't understand much of what she told him about all of that but it didn't matter as long as it was making her happy.

csinycsinycsiny

They picked up a movie on the way back to Don's apartment. Now they were collapsed on the sofa together, trying to pay attention to the movie but sleepy and overstuffed with italian food. Don was enjoying having Angie so close, feeling her warmth, smelling her vanilla perfume and the scent of whatever shampoo she was currently using. "I buy whatever's cheap," she said once when he asked her what she used. This one had a light herbal scent that didn't clash with the vanilla, which he loved. She always smelled good enough to eat. _Too bad I'm too stuffed with pizza to make love right now, or we'd already be in bed. But we can get to that later. We've got all evening._

"I ate too much." he said.

"Me too, but it was great pizza."

"Uh huh. I should know better than to do that, but it's hard when the food's that good."

"Are you following this movie?" she asked.

"Not really. We'll have to watch it again some time."

"I'm glad it's not just me."

"Well, since we aren't really keepin' up with the story, there's somethin' I want to talk to you about."

"Ok, what's on your mind?"

"You know how you sometimes complain that we don't get to spend enough time together?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, what would think about us movin' in together?"

She sat up and looked at him. "Did you just ask me if I want to move in with you?"

"Not move in here. I was thinkin' we could get another place, one that we choose together."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious. Why, do you not want to?"

"Don, of course I want to!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him. "There's nothing I'd like more."

"Good, but would you get off my stomach before I explode?"

"Oh, sorry. Oh my God. Us living together. How soon do you want to do this?"

"As soon as we can find an apartment we like."

She snuggled up to him, careful not to put any pressure on his belly. "Good. The sooner the better."

He smiled. "I was hopin' you'd say that."


	24. Chapter 24

"Are you sure you can live with this pattern? I don't want you to end up complaining that it's too foo-foo for you."

Don laughed. "I told you you could choose the stuff for the bedroom, and I like your choices. Now if you'd picked something like this..." he pointed to a floral pattern in purple and green, "I'd have said no. But the one you picked is really pretty, and it'll look even better with you wrapped in it."

Angie had chosen a vintage style comforter in an ivory color with a soft floral pattern and stripes in a muted pink. They'd look at dozens of patterns and styles, but when she'd seen that one she'd fallen in love with it immediately. Don was secretly happy that it was something that he liked as well.

"We may as well get new furniture for the bedroom too, since mine is all odds and ends and none of it is really nice enough to go with that."

"I saw a set that would match nicely. Check this out." She clicked a couple times and scrolled down the page, then clicked again to show him the set she'd found.

"Hey, that's nice. What all does it include?"

"Headboard, night stands, dresser."

"Are there any other possibilities or do you want this one?"

"I like this one best."

"Ok, then this is the one."

They'd already found the apartment they wanted. It was in an older building but it was spacious, and since it was a corner unit it had lots of windows. It was a stroke of pure luck that they'd happened on it just when it became available. It had been partially rennovated and had new appliances and carpet throughout. It had two bedrooms, plenty of closet space and a decent sized bathroom. It was just right for them. They had another two weeks before they could move in, so they used the time to find and buy the furnishings they needed and get Don's place cleaned up before he moved out.

Don's living room furnishings were fairly new and he'd bought them in a set and everything matched, so they decided they didn't need to replace it. They had Angie's computer and desk which would go in the second bedroom. She hadn't brought anything with her to Marilyn's apartment, so there was nothing else of hers to move into the new place. That was one of the reasons why Don wanted her to pick out the bedroom stuff. He didn't want to just move his stuff in and have nothing that was hers in the new apartment.

Don suggested they get rid of his kitchen table and chairs and get a new set, but Angie loved it and wanted to keep it. It was an old formica table with the metal around the edge, and funky metal chairs with vinyl cushions in red. The table was red with little black and white boomerang-shaped designs on it, somewhat worn with age but still in surprisingly good shape. It was funky and wonderfully retro, an antique, in fact, and Angie begged him to keep it.

"Oh come on, Don, this thing is awesome. Can you imagine how hard it would be to find a set like this? Where did you get it, anyway?"

"I found it at a flea market, and I got it almost for free. I needed a table and chairs and had planned to go shopping, but I went to this flea market with a girl I was dating at the time and there it was. I just figured it would save me having to go look for one, and the guy was practically giving it away, so I bought it. I actually really like it, so I'm glad you like it too."

"You know we could decorate the kitchen to match it. But we can figure that out later. Ok so we keep the table and chairs. Excellent."

Don walked over to Angie and pulled her into his arms. "You're really having fun with this, aren't you?" he asked.

"Of course. Aren't you?"

"Yeah, but what I'm liking most is how much you're enjoying it." He bent and kissed her, then smiled at her.

She smiled up at him. "It's like a dream come true."

"Yeah, it is. Ok, so what else do we have to do?"

"Ah, find some dinner? I don't know about you but I'm starving."

"Me too. What are you in the mood for?"

"A big fat cheeseburger and fries."

"Really? I know just the place. Grab your purse and let's go."

csinycsinycsiny

After dinner, Don took Angie home.

"I'd rather go home with you," she said.

"Well, I'd like that too, but it is easier for you to go to work from here than my place. Besides, in two weeks I won't be bringing you here any more. It's worth waiting for."

"But I sleep better when I'm with you." They were on the porch of the apartment. She pushed against him and looked up at him with that sexy look that made the love creature start dancing in his belly.

"Come on, don't be a tease," he said. "That's not fair. You know how hard it is for me to resist you."

The sexy look turned to an equally sexy pout. "Ok, I'll stop tormenting you. But you owe me for making me wait."

"I'll be happy to pay up. Now go on, and I'll call you tomorrow."

"Ok. Goodnight."

"Nite baby. I love you."

"I love you too."


	25. Chapter 25

_Three more days. Three more days till we move into the new apartment. I still can't believe this is happening. Of all the men I could have ended up with, I get a New York City cop? Talk about an unlikely pairing! And I never would have dreamed I could love anyone like I love him. That I could ever find someone I'd be so compatible with. Or that any man would ever love me the way he does. I guess there's still a part of me that feels like I don't deserve this. _

_I can't imagine my life without him. I don't think I could survive. There was a time when I would have scoffed at the notion of a love so powerful, so deep. Now I know it can happen, because I'm living it. Three more days. And then the rest of our lives. _

Angie was daydreaming. She was off work today, and was watching the evening news. Thinking about her life and the events that had brought her to this moment in time. She was excited and nervous, full of joy but yet scared, knowing that she and Don were at the crossroads of a new life, one they would share, she hoped forever. Although they hadn't yet talked about getting married, it was something she wanted and she had the feeling that he did as well.

The weather segment was on, the guy talking about the warming trend in the area. It was mid-April and Spring was blooming all around her, in the flowers in Central Park and in the planters around trees on residential streets, in the warmer temperatures and strengthening sun. Things were growing, blossoming, including her relationship with Don, and she reveled in it, thankful for the blessing she'd been given.

She was suddenly snapped out of her reverie... something was happening on the TV... "breaking news..." she focused in on the screen. She could never remember everything that the reporter said. It was what she saw that would stay with her. An aerial view of a standoff of some kind. She heard the word "chopper". Someone in a helicopter was filming the scene. A hostage situation. A group of officers with guns trained on a house. The reporter's voice droned on. The photographer zoomed in on the cops taking cover behind police cars. She blinked, because her mind refused to register what her eyes were seeing. Among the cops was one that she recognized. It was Don.

A little scream escaped her lips. Marilyn came into the living room. "What's wrong honey?"

Angie had clapped a hand over her mouth, and with the other she pointed at the screen.

"What?" Marilyn looked at the TV. "Oh, my god, is that Don?"

Angie nodded. Marilyn sat down on the sofa beside Angie and took her hand. "What is it, a standoff?"

"Uh huh. The guy has his girlfriend hostage inside the house. That's out in the suburbs. What the hell is he doing out there?"

"Who knows? He's gone outside the city before. How long has this been going on?"

"I don't know. They just broke into the regular broadcast with it. I can't believe this. God, why couldn't he be anywhere else but there!"

"Angie, honey, this is his job. You know that. He does stuff like this all the time. It's just that most of the time you don't see it and he doesn't tell you about it because he doesn't want to worry you. You shouldn't be watching it. If this wasn't your day off you'd be downstairs, and he'd come home and tell you he had an average day."

Angie knew she shouldn't be watching, but there was no way she was going to stop. A myriad of thoughts tumbled through her mind. She wanted to be there with him, and somehow protect him from stray bullets. She wished she could teleport him out of there like they did on Star Trek. She felt like her heart was being ripped out, and she felt like half of herself was there, squatting behind a patrol car in kevlar, right in the middle of harm's way.

Suddenly the station switched back to the regular programming.

"NO! Now I won't know what's going on!" She felt a mixture of fear and frustration that made her sick to her stomach. Marilyn picked up the remote and turned off the TV.

"Marilyn, no! Turn it back on!" She tried to get up from the sofa, but Marilyn grabbed her and held her back.

"Uh-uh. No, Angie. There's nothing you can do. You'll make yourself sick."

"I have to watch. I have to be there with him."

"But you're not, honey, and you can't do anything to help him."

"But what if he gets shot?"

"Do you really want to see that happen?"

"Dammit, you have no right to tell me I can't watch!"

"It's my house. If I want to turn off the TV, that's my choice. Listen to me. I'm worried about him too, but your freaking out isn't gonna change anything. And torturing yourself watching won't do anything but make you sick and terrified to let him out of your sight, to let him do his job. You have no right to do that to him. You think he'd want you watching that? He'll be horrified to find that you saw any of it."

Angie started to cry. A few minutes ago she'd been looking forward to moving with Don into their new apartment. She'd been feeling blessed to have found this amazing man, and almost in awe of the bond of love between them. She'd been so happy...

And now she was terrified, sick with fear for him and angry at him for being in such a dangerous situation. She felt helpless and out of control, which was exactly what she was in that moment. Marilyn was right. There was nothing she could do to help Don. Except maybe pray.

_Oh Blessed Mother, Great Goddess, please let him come out of this alive and unhurt. Protect him. Send him home to me. I love him so much, I can't live without him. Please don't take him away from me._

She tried hard to visualize Don safe and out of harm's way. She knew how powerful thoughts and beliefs could be. She pictured him coming home to her, the two of them embracing, kissing, sleeping together ..._all is well, and he is safe..._

She finally stopped crying, though she knew she was right on the edge of falling apart again. Marilyn got up and went to the kitchen, and came back with a glass of water.

"Here, drink some of this." She handed the glass to Angie.

"Did you put any booze in it?"

"No. Do you want a drink? It might help calm you down a bit. But just one, not the whole bottle." Angie nodded silently. Marilyn went to the kitchen again and came back with a little glass.

"What is it?" Angie asked.

"Does it matter? It's brandy. Drink it." Angie did as she was told, taking a sip of the amber liquid in the glass. She grimaced slightly. "This stuff is strong."

"Well, of course it is. Pour some of the water in it if it's too harsh."

Angie looked at the brandy, then shrugged and downed the rest of it all at once. She felt the potent liquid hit her stomach and warm her inside. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. She wondered if Don had felt something like this when she'd gotten shot. She felt the fear and the helplessness, and came to a realization.

_Love has two sides. There's joy and pleasure, but there's also fear and pain. Loving him as much as I do feels so good, like nothing I've felt before, but along with it comes the fear of losing him. It's a balancing act. Part of loving someone this much is being willing to let go of him so he can do what he needs or wants to do, even if it's dangerous or sometimes life-threatening. The key is to make the most of every moment, never take anything for granted, never waste a chance to love him, and to let him know how much I love him. And never pass up a chance to let him love me, and know that I deserve the love he gives me. _

"I'm gonna fix some supper. What do you want to eat?"

"Oh god, Marilyn, I couldn't eat anything right now."

"I knew you'd say that. Ok, I won't push you. You'll eat when you're ready." Marilyn went into the kitchen and left Angie alone in the living room. She was tempted to turn the TV back on but she resisted with an effort. She closed her eyes and again visualized Don here with her, safe and sound.

The phone rang.

"Could you get that Angie?"

"Got it." She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey baby, it's me."

Angie felt a relief so intense that it made her feel dizzy._ Oh thank you Goddess! _ "Don. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"I saw you on the news."

"Oh shit. You saw the standoff?"

"Yes."

"Those bastards in the helicopter. I knew they were filming. We couldn't get rid of them. Angie, I'm fine. It's all over, the guy's in custody and I'm on my way back to the city. I have a report to fill out and then I'm done for the night. You want me to come get you?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I'm done. Relax sweetie. I'm ok."

"Ok. I love you Don!"

"I love you too. Bye."

Angie got up and went to the kitchen. Marilyn looked at her. "What is it honey?"

"That was Don. He's ok." She started to cry again. Marilyn put down the spoon she had in her hand and took Angie into her arms. "I'm so glad to hear that. Oh, honey, stop crying now. He's ok. Is he coming over here?"

"Uh huh. He's gonna take me home with him."

"I think that's a good idea. Now, can I get you to eat something?"


	26. Chapter 26

Don was starting to get nervous. He was on his way to go pick up Angie at the store. He knew she was upset because she'd seen coverage of the standoff on TV. _Fuckin' news people. Sendin' a goddamn helicopter into the scene. Like that guy wasn't unstable enough. Jesus. And now I have to calm Angie down 'cause she's all upset over seein' that. Shit. From now on she's not watchin' the news unless I'm with her. _

He didn't know how successful he'd be at enforcing that rule, but he'd try. _I can't have her seein' stuff like that and gettin' all worked up. I'm in dangerous situations all the time. If she can't deal with that then we got a serious problem. _

Everything had been rolling along so smoothly up until now. They were three days away from moving into their apartment, and he was looking forward to it more than he ever thought he would. He'd been having so much fun watching how excited she was, picking out furnishings and bedding, talking to him about ideas for decorating the new place. He was excited about it too, but his greatest pleasure had been in watching her. It felt great to see her so happy. _So happy to be movin' in with me... _He smiled at the thought. Sometimes he still felt like he needed to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. _The cop and the ex-con. It'd make a great romantic comedy. _

Although there were times when he'd found himself wishing that she wasn't a convicted felon, it didn't really matter anymore. They'd work through most of her issues now. They both knew it would come up from time to time, but each time it would get easier. He'd finally gotten his fellow cops to back off and allow him to live his personal life as he saw fit. He felt like they were free to move forward.

But now he had another hurdle to jump. He had to get Angie calmed down and make sure this wasn't going to become a problem. He had a job to do tonight, and he had to get it right or they didn't have a chance in hell of this relationship working.

He climbed the steps to the apartment. He felt a bit of flutter in his stomach at the thought that in a few days he wouldn't be doing this anymore. He knocked on the door and waited.

Angie opened the door. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, and then threw herself into his arms. He caught her and held her, sticking a foot out to push the door shut. He looked up and saw Marilyn standing in the kitchen. She came over and put her arms around both of them.

"Hey Marilyn."

"I'm so glad you're ok honey." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks. Hey you," he said to Angie, bending to speak softly to her. "Quit cryin'. I'm here. I'm ok." She looked up at him. He smiled at her. "Come on, smile for me." She just looked at him.

"Come on, don't make me tickle you." That did the trick; she smiled.

"Have you had dinner?" Marilyn asked Don.

"Nah, not yet. I came straight here after work."

"Well I've got some casserole here if you're hungry."

Don looked at Angie. "Did you eat?" She nodded.

Ok, well yeah, that'd be great Marilyn. Thanks."

Marilyn proceeded to stuff him with her casserole, a concoction containing chicken, pasta, veggies and a creamy sauce with a hint of cheese in it. It was good, simple comfort food. Angie had a little scoop of it too.

"I thought you already ate," he said to her.

"I did, but I was too upset to eat much. So I'm making up for it now." She gave him a smug look, and took a bite of the casserole.

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"Man, what a day." Don said when they got to his place. "I'm gonna take a shower. You wanna join me?"

She did. He needed a shower; he'd been under a lot of stress today and he could smell it on himself. It felt wonderful to wash it all away. Angie seemed a bit subdued. He wondered if she was dreading a lecture from him about dealing with his dangerous job. That wasn't what he had planned, however. He had other ideas.

Once out of the shower, he lit a candle in the bedroom and turned down the bed. Before she could even think about getting dressed, he scooped her up and put her on the bed, and then lay down beside her. He propped himself up on one elbow and leaned over her. He kissed her gently. She responded and pushed up against him, returning the kisses, and the dance began. They spent a long time just kissing, softly, passionately, tongues touching, making out like teenagers. Then he started a journey down her body, kissing the cleft in her chin, moving down and running his tongue in circles around her nipples, then continuing down across her belly, dropping soft, tender kisses on her bare skin. He heard her moan softly, and he smiled. He kept moving down, past her navel, to the edge of her pubic hair, which brushed lightly across his lips, and he went down further, pushing her legs apart with his hands, and settling in between them. She was soft and warm and tasted so sweet. He pushed his tongue up inside her and heard her make a sound that was halfway between a moan and a cry. He felt a rush all through his body, felt his arousal kick up several notches. He breathed in her scent, mixed with the smell of soap and the moisturizer she used on her legs. _Oh man, this is heaven on earth. Every inch of her is beautiful._ He propped himself on his elbows and lightly stroked her thighs with his fingers. She was whimpering with pleasure, and he loved hearing her, loved tasting her, loved touching her.

She was getting close to orgasm. He could feel it in her body; the way she rolled her hips up to meet his lips, and the way her lips were swollen. He pushed his tongue into her again. She was wet. She was ready. He zeroed in on the spot he knew would send her over the edge and it didn't take long before her body shuddered, she gasped and cried out, and he reveled in every second of it. He loved doing this, making her come with his lips and tongue.

He kissed his way back up her body, and she arched up to meet him. He wanted to get inside her, wanted it badly, and she seemed to read his mind because she took him in her hand and guided him in. _Oh, jesus, she's wet, oh god that feels good... _he felt her all around him, hot and tight, and it made him gasp, and it sent a jolt through his body. He started to move inside her, slow at first, then picking up speed. He didn't want to rush it but it felt so good it was hard to resist. And since she'd already come, he didn't have to worry as much about going slow.

He was really getting into the rhythm, when she suddenly threw him a curve. She wrapped her legs around his back. The rotation of her hips pushed him even deeper inside her.

"Oh my god, Angie, what're you doin' to me?"

"I love you Don, I love you so much, oh god, I love you, I love you..." she kept whispering it into his ear, with every thrust, and it took him to a level he hadn't been to before. An overwhelming feeling of love and emotion merged with his impending orgasm... he looked at her... her eyes were closed.

"Angie, look at me..." she opened her eyes and met his. He was right on the edge, he could feel it building...

"I love you Don..." having her look him in the eyes and say those words at that moment set off the explosion. She tightened her legs around his back and he yelled, bucking against her, feeling it all through his body, a shockwave of pleasure so intense he was afraid he would pass out. Somewhere along the way he lost coherent thought, and there was only the feeling in his body and the love in his heart.

Angie unlocked her legs from around his back. He was still inside her; he hadn't gone all the way soft yet. He tried to catch his breath, and his whole body was quivering with exertion and release. He felt his heart slow down, felt himself relax. He finally slipped inside her, and he rolled off of her onto his back.

"Oh my God. That was beyond incredible." He wiped sweat from his forehead. Angie turned on her side and started playing with his chest hair.

"Good God, Don, it keeps getting better and better."

He rolled onto his side facing her. He kissed her softly. "It's your fault."

"My fault? How do you figure that?" she smiled coyly at him.

"If you weren't so beautiful and sexy and delicious and if I didn't love you so much..."

"If you weren't so handsome and sexy and delicious and if I didn't love you so much. And if I hadn't been so worried about you and then so relieved to know that you were ok..."

"Yeah, well we need to talk about that. Later. Right now I just wanna relax and enjoy the afterglow. Ok?"

"Sounds lovely to me." She snuggled against him. He pulled the sheet over them. In a few minutes they were both asleep.


	27. Chapter 27

AD chapter 27

The sun was rising, beginning to illuminate the bedroom. Don opened his eyes and looked at the clock. 643am. He shut off the alarm which would have gone off at 7. Angie was curled up against him, still sound asleep. He moved away from her carefully and got out of bed. After a visit to the bathroom he went into the kitchen and started the coffee. He went back to the bedroom to wake his sleeping beauty.

"Hey sweetie, rise and shine." He stroked her cheek and brushed her hair back from her face. She stirred, and opened her eyes. She smiled at him, then rolled onto her back and stretched.

"Mmmm, good morning," she said. "What time is it?"

"Almost 7. I just started the coffee. I'm gonna get in the shower. You comin' with me?"

"Uh huh." She threw back the covers and got out of the bed. She went into the bathroom ahead of him. He gave her a few minutes and then went in after her.

Once they were showered and dressed they sat at the kitchen table and had scrambled eggs and toast with their coffee. They both had to be at work at 9am, so there wasn't time to get into a conversation about the standoff, his job, or anything important right now. It would have to wait till tonight at the earliest.

"So I'm gonna go back to having Friday and Saturday off. Do you think Marilyn will give you those days off too?"

"I don't see why not. It would be nice to have days off together."

"Most definitely. I do volunteer work at the YMCA on alternate Saturdays in the spring and summer. When I get back to havin' Saturdays off I wanna keep doin' that."

"I think you should. What do you do?"

"Work with a group of kids, take 'em to games, and do some coaching in the summer when they play sports themselves."

"Ah. Kind of like a Big Brother thing."

"Yeah. I really enjoy it and it's good for the kids, gives them something to do on Saturday besides get into trouble."

Angie just smiled at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just think it's a great thing for you to be doing. And it must mean that you like kids."

"Yeah, I do." He smiled back at her, and wondered what she was thinking. _Is she wondering if I'd like to have some of my own? I hadn't given it much thought till I fell in love with her... it's something I'll have to think about now, and more importantly, find out how she feels about it. Becoming a parent isn't something you just do on a whim. _

Half an hour later he dropped her off at the store. "I'll call you later, ok? We still have some talkin' to do."

"Hm, I guess we do. Ok. Have a good day."

"You too baby." He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

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"So let's talk about you watchin' the news and seein' me in that standoff." They were snuggled on the sofa together, and Don figured now was as good a time as any to bring it up. Angie looked up at him, and then looked away.

"I know it really scared you. And I understand why. But you knew I was a cop when you got together with me. You have to know that I'm gonna get into dangerous situations. Right?"

She nodded but didn't say anything and she didn't look at him.

"Now I don't want to be the controlling boyfriend, I don't mean to be tellin' you what to do, but I'd rather you didn't watch the news broadcasts if I'm not with you. I mean, if it's gonna freak you out like that..."

"That was what Marilyn said. She said I shouldn't be watching it, and that you'd be upset if you knew I'd seen it."

"And I was. Not because you watched it, but because of what you saw. I was workin', doin' what I do. I can't do my job effectively if I'm worried that you might see me in a dangerous situation and get all upset. Does that make sense?"

She nodded. He took her chin and turned her face to look at him. She had tears in her eyes. _This isn't working... but it has to..._

"Why're you crying?" he thought that if he could get her to articulate that, they'd have something to work with so she could deal with this.

She took a deep breath. "When I was in the middle of all of that, worried about you getting hurt or killed, something occured to me. Love has two sides. There's joy and pleasure, but there's also fear and pain. When you love someone as much as I love you, you can't help but be afraid of losing them. The only way to really deal with that is to make the most of every moment you have, never take anything for granted, never pass up a chance to let that person know how much you love them. If I live by those words, then if at some point I do lose you, at least I'll have the knowledge that I didn't waste a moment, that I loved you as deeply and completely as I could, that I made the most of our time together. I realized that I love you enough to let you do your thing, even if it could get you killed."

Don wasn't expecting this. He'd thought he was going to have to watch her get all upset again and argue with him about it not being fair to her to put her through worrying about him, and then he'd have to placate her, rationalize that cops took every precaution they could to keep from getting hurt in the line of duty, but he never thought she'd say what he'd just heard. He was stunned.

"Wow. That was the last thing I expected to hear you say."

"Well, I've been thinking about it alot. And that's what it all comes down to." She looked up at him. He tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He couldn't think of anything to say that would come close to the eloquence of the statement she'd made. He felt a sudden surge of emotion, and to his dismay his eyes welled up. He blinked and the tears ran down his cheeks. _Oh great, cry like a girl. Jesus, Flack, get a grip! _

"Ok, now why are _you_ crying?" She reached up and wiped the tears from his face. Don shook his head.

"Oh no, you don't get to sidestep me," she said. "Tell me what you're feeling."

"I've never been in this situation before. I've never had anyone love me the way you do, and I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. It's a little overwhelming."

"Yes it is. But would you give it up, trade it for something easier?"

"Not a chance in hell."

"Me neither." She snuggled closer to him, dropped her head against his chest. She tightened her arms around him.

Don went on. "I'm also recalling how I felt when you went back to work. How nervous I was, but how I knew I had to let you go, that it wouldn't be fair to hold you back. I kept tellin' myself to relax, to stop worryin' that someone else was gonna come in and shoot you, or that some other bad thing would happen to you. Recalling how that felt helps me understand your point of view. And I'm not sayin' I expect you to stop worryin' about me. I know I couldn't not worry about you. But you're right. We can't let it overshadow our relationship."

She looked up at him and smiled. He kissed her, and then kissed her again. The tide of emotion surged again, but he didn't cry this time. He smiled at her. "You are the most amazing woman I've ever met. You're smart, you're beautiful, you've struggled and fought your way through some big challenges and you've emerged a better person. I don't know what I did to deserve to have you love me so much but I thank God that you do, because I love you with all my heart and soul. I can't even find words to express how important you are to me, how much better my life is with you in it."

"I've heard that men are better at showing their love than saying it."

"Is that an invitation?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you don't have to ask me twice." He scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.


	28. Chapter 28

AD chapter 28

Don looked around the living room at the boxes stacked against the walls. _Well, it's all here. Now we have to get it unpacked and organized. _The sofa was in its place along with the end tables, the coffee table up on the sofa, the side chair just sort of sitting in the middle of the room. The kitchen/dining area was much the same. The table and chairs were there with boxes of dishes and other kitchen items. The morning had been spent getting everything moved from Don's apartment to the new place. The bedroom furniture was due to arrive later in the afternoon.

Angie was in the second bedroom, getting her computer set up. Don had been wondering what to do with his computer; keep it or pass it on to someone. _I'll have to ask Angie about that._ _She might not want me messing with her Mac. _

He looked around the room again. _I need a break... I don't want to start dealing with this now._ He went into the second bedroom. Angie was plugging things in under the desk. He looked appreciatively at her backside which was all he could see of her at the moment. _My, but she does have a nice ass..._

"Hey, you wanna go get some lunch?" he asked.

Angie backed out from under the desk. "Sure. The bedroom stuff doesn't get here till later. I could use a break."

"That's exactly what I was thinkin'." He put a hand out and helped her to her feet. "That was a nice view, with most of you under the desk."

"Checkin' out my ass, huh?" She said, pulling him into a hug.

"Hey, what can I say? You got a nice one."

"You're so bad."

"Yeah, I know. Whadda you want for lunch?"

"Let's go to the deli and get a sandwich."

"That'll work."

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The bedroom furniture arrived on schedule. They'd brought the bed itself in earlier. What arrived in the afternoon was the headboard, nightstands and dresser. The bedding had already been delivered, and the minute the furniture arrived, Angie pushed Don out of the room and shut the door on him.

"What the hell? Why are you kickin' me out?"

"This is my job. I picked this stuff out, and I wanna set it up. You go start unpacking the kitchen."

"Yes ma'am!" He shook his head and laughed. He went into the kitchen and started unpacking the boxes there.

"Hey, do you trust me to put this stuff in the right places?"

"Yeah, go for it." He chuckled again. _I'll just set it up like it was at the old apartment, or as close as I can. _

What he'd been dreading doing before lunch actually became a pleasant activity. Putting dishes in the cupboards above, pots and pans in the ones below, silverware and utensils in the drawers. The coffee maker, the blender, the toaster, the microwave. It didn't take as long as he thought it would to get everything put away. He looked at the alcove where there were hookups for a washer and dryer, thinking that it would be great to be able to do laundry in the apartment instead of carting it to a central laundry room. They hadn't gone shopping for a washer and dryer; that was next on the list of things to do.

Angie came into the kitchen area. "Wow, you got it all put away. I'm impressed."

"It wasn't that big a job. How's the bedroom comin'?"

"It's done. Come have a look."

He followed her into the room. "Whoa."

"Pretty nice, huh?" Angie hadn't just gotten the comforter and the sheets. She'd gotten the accent pillows and shams to match the set, and the thing that went around the bottom of the bed as well. Don couldn't remember what it was called. There were curtains on the window that complimented the colors of the comforter, and she'd put lamps on the bedside tables that were turned on and gave the room a pinkish glow. The dresser had a mirror over it, and she'd decorated the top of the dresser as well, with silk roses in a crystal vase, a lace table runner and candles ready to be lit.

"It's beautiful. How did you get the lamps to glow pink like that?"

"They have pink light bulbs."

"Get outta here. They make light bulbs in pink?"

"Yep. So you like it?"

"Are you kiddin' me? It's gorgeous."

"It's not too foo-foo?"

He laughed. "No, it's not too foo-foo. You did a great job on it. It's beautiful, just like you."

"Thank you." She smiled up at him, and he felt the love creature do a somersault in his belly. _After all these months I still get butterflies when she looks at me like that. _He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, and the creature jumped, doing a big flip inside him. He held her and kissed her again.

"I would so love to tear your nicely made bed apart right now, but we still have a lot of work to do."

"Anticipation is fun." she replied. "Let's get some more unpacking done."

They spent the rest of the afternoon getting things unpacked and put away, and by dinnertime most of it was done. Don came back in from disposing of empty packing boxes and flopped down on the sofa.

"Ok, I'm starvin'. I vote we have dinner delivered. Whadda you think?"

"Oh hell yeah. Chinese or Italian?"

"Chinese. You wanna call 'em? The menus are on the fridge."

"I'm on it."

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The nicely made bed got thoroughly disheveled after dinner and a shower. Now the bedroom was softly aglow with candlelight and quiet except for the sound of their breathing. Don was floating on a sea of contentment, sleepy and satisfied. Angie was curled up against him, her hand on his chest, one leg across his, her head on his shoulder, the warmth of her breath on his neck.

"Your hair's gettin' long," he said, running his fingers over it. When he'd first met her, in the diner, not when she was in jail, her hair had been shoulder length. Now it was down to the middle of her back.

"Do you like it long? I can't decide whether to let it keep growing out or go back to shoulder length."

"I like it long, but you do what you want with it. You're the one who has to take care of it. I used to have my hair a bit longer than it is now, but it's much easier to deal with when it's short like this."

"Your hair was longer? How much longer?"

"Not too much. I'll dig up a picture sometime. But anyway, whatever you decide to do with your hair is fine with me."

She reached down and pulled the sheet and blanket up over them. "I'm getting a little chilly."

"What, Don Flack the human heating pad isn't keepin' you warm enough?"

"On the parts of me that are touching you, yeah. It's my backside that's cold."

"Well we can't have that. Turn with your back to me." She did as he asked and he snuggled up against her, spooning her. "Whoa, your ass is cold! Jeez!"

"A shocking experience, huh?"

"Made me shrivel up. Damn."

She burst out laughing. He laughed with her.

"So Koree wants me to go to lunch and shopping with her next Saturday. Is that ok with you?"

Don frowned slightly. "Why wouldn't it be ok with me?"

"I... I don't know. Jason always controlled everything I did. I guess I'm in the habit of asking for permission from my boyfriend..."

"Baby, you don't need my permission to spend time with a friend."

"But you don't even know her."

"I've met her. And I asked Marilyn about her too. Not because I don't trust you to pick your own friends. You mentioned that you were hitting it off with her and I just asked Marilyn what she thought of her."

"And what did Marilyn say?"

"She likes her. She says she's a hard worker and has a great personality."

"Koree wants to introduce you to her boyfriend."

"Yeah? I'd like to meet him, sure. Have you met him?"

"Not yet. But we think you guys would hit it off because he teaches criminology at Chelsea."

"Are you kiddin' me? Well, for sure we'd have some stuff in common."

"We're thinking maybe we could go out on some double dates."

"Sounds like fun."

"Really?"

"Sure, why not? Meanwhile you go have a fun day with Koree."

Angie turned back over and faced him, pulled him close and kissed him. _Dance little love creature, dance..._

"I love you so much," she said, looking him in the eyes.

"I love you too baby. Hey, we better get some sleep. We both gotta work tomorrow."

"Is it that late?" She looked at the clock. "Oh shit, you're right. Ok, nitey nite then." She turned with her back to him again.

Don pulled her close. "Good night sweetie."


	29. Chapter 29

AD chapter 29

Don unlocked the door to the apartment and let himself in. He closed and locked the door behind him and then stopped suddenly, listening. He heard Angie talking, and then heard another female voice. He walked through the living room into the computer room. Angie was sitting at her desk with her friend Koree. He'd met Koree a few weeks ago. She was quite a contrast in looks to Angie, with short cropped blonde hair, green eyes and fair skin. She was a few inches taller and a bit heavier than Angie, and she was a good-looking woman.

"Hey ladies, whatcha doin'?"

They both turned to look at him. "Hi sweetie, come on in. We're workin' on a website."

"She's working on it," Koree said. "I'm just watching her do it. I don't get much of this programming stuff."

"You sound like me. I'm pretty much clueless. How's it comin'?"

"Have a look," Angie said. Don walked over to the desk. Koree was sitting on one of the kitchen chairs to Angie's left, so Don came up on her right, looking over her shoulder at the monitor.

"Wow, you created that? It looks great." The page she was working on was neatly arranged with nice colors, easy-to-read fonts and some pictures. It was a practice site so it wasn't about anything in particular.

"Once I nail the navigation and graphics I'll be able to put up a real one. I still have to look up how to insert pictures and stuff. But I'll get there."

"I told her she could make a website for me," Koree said. "I have one that's made with a template but it would be great to have one that's professionally done. I want a shopping cart for my beads, and I don't have that right now."

"Oh yeah, online shopping. Can you do that for her?"

"I'm learning it now. I'll be able to set it up for her."

"That's good. What are you cookin'? It smells great."

"I'm making a pot roast. It'll be done soon."

"I should get going," Koree said.

"You don't have to leave just because I'm home," he said. He looked at Angie. "I'm gonna change clothes and get off my feet for awhile. Finish up what you're workin' on." He kissed Angie's cheek, then went into the bedroom and closed the door. He took off his suit and changed into a t-shirt and jeans. It had been a busy day and he was tired so he stretched out on the bed. _I'll just rest for awhile. If I fall asleep she'll wake me when dinner's ready. _He closed his eyes and relaxed. He could hear the women talking and laughing in the other room, and it was a pleasant sound. He was glad that Angie had a female friend, someone she could talk to about womanly things and do girly stuff with. He listened to the sound of their voices as he drifted off to sleep.

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"He's handsome," Koree said.

"Isn't he? After all the months we've been together, he still gives me butterflies when I look at him."

"Jeff and I have been together for almost three years and we still feel that way about each other."

"What's he look like?"

"He's a redhead. He's got strawberry blonde hair and pale skin with freckles. He's got these beautiful amber eyes, not really brown, almost golden. He's not as tall as Don, about five-eleven. I think he's a hottie."

"That's all that matters. I hope Don and I always feel the way we do now. I just love him so much, I can't imagine being without him. Ok, have a look at it now."

"Oh see, that looks great. I can't wait to have you make a site for me."

"Yours'll probably be the first one I do."

"Awesome. Well look, I really should get going. Jeff had a conference this afternoon but he'll be home soon if he's not already."

"Ok, my pot roast is probably done by now. I'll bet Don fell asleep, which is fine because he works some long strange hours sometimes." They both got up from the desk, and Koree got her purse and jacket. Angie walked her to the door.

"Thanks for coming over. It's been fun having you here."

"We gotta get the four of us together, go out to dinner or something. Maybe go dancing."

"Dancing? I don't know if I can get Don to go dancing, but it's worth a try."

"Ok, well I'll see you at work tomorrow. Bye."

Angie watched Koree till she got to the stairs and then closed the door. She went into the bedroom. As she suspected, Don was asleep. She stood over him, just looking at him. He was lying on his back, his face relaxed, his chest rising and falling slowly. His lips were parted slightly, which happened often when he was asleep. She always wanted to kiss him when he was sleeping because his lips looked so sexy. They were shaped like a bow, and were soft and supple. _And they're almost red. Not many men have that much color in their lips. _She pulled her eyes away from them and looked at his eyes, closed in sleep but moving under the eyelids. _He's dreaming. I wonder what he's dreaming about... I can't believe how thick and black his eyelashes are. Goddess, he is so beautiful! Is it just because I love him so much? Ok, I better stop drooling over him and wake him up for dinner. _

She sat on the edge of the bed and put her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating under her hand, feel the warmth of his body seep into her fingers. She found that she didn't want to wake him. She wanted to just keep looking at him. She couldn't do this when he was awake. Not to this degree, anyway. She loved to just take him in, study him, watch him. She figured he probably did the same thing to her when she was asleep.

She let herself enjoy the feeling of adoration for a few more minutes, then bent and softly kissed him, capturing his bottom lip between hers. She felt a fluttering in her stomach that seemed to pop open and then dive down between her legs. _Damn, we'll never get to dinner at this rate. I wanna rip his clothes off._

Just when she pulled her mouth away from his, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

"What a nice sight to wake up to," he said. He put his arms around her and pulled her down on top of him. "I'm guessin' that Koree went home?"

"Mm-hm. I was waking you for dinner. I think I might want to have dessert first though." She kissed him again.

"Dessert first? Sounds good to me."

"Give me a second." She got up and went to the kitchen, then came back and climbed onto the bed beside him. "I turned off the pot roast. We shouldn't leave it for too long, but we can play for a little while."

"Let's not waste any time, then," he said with a grin. "Comere."

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"Have you ever noticed how much better food tastes after sex?" Don asked as he started on his plate of pot roast and vegetables.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Angie was hoping she'd done a good job of preparing the meal. Marilyn had taught her how to cook a pot roast, and this was her first time doing it herself. She watched him take a bite, watched the look on his face. _So far so good..._ she looked at him expectantly. He looked at her and realized what she wanted. He nodded, swallowed and said "It's delicious. You're becomin' a great cook. I was too busy stuffin' it in my face to say anything."

"Well that's the best compliment you could give me. I'm glad you like it. One of these days I'm gonna try one of my mom's recipes on you. See if you like Cuban food."

"I like all kinds of food. So bring it on."

"You got it. This did turn out pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. We'll have enough left over for sandwiches."

"I'll have to come home for lunch. I love roast beef sandwiches. A little red onion and lots of mayo. And that thick sliced italian bread."

"That does sound good." She let her mind wander, thinking about the sequence of events that started with her watching him sleep, through waking him, then making love, to devouring a plate of pot roast and veggies like a starving person. _Good sex works up a good appetite. _She looked at him sitting across from her, his hair sticking up on his head in little spikes, a faint shadow of stubble around his mouth. He was paying full attention to eating, and it made her feel good to watch him enjoy her cooking. She wanted to take good care of him, and this was one way of doing it. She knew he was tough and strong and smart and street-wise, but she felt protective of him anyway, because she knew that beneath the tough cop exterior, he was a sensitive and caring man. She got to see that side of him, and she was one of a very few who did. In fact, Danny Messer was probably the only other person who ever saw his softer side. But even he didn't see what she saw. That was for her eyes alone.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" he asked, bringing her out of her daydream.

"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking about this afternoon, and what we did before dinner. I was also thinking that I'm glad you like my cooking."

He smiled that beautiful smile that she loved so much. "You take very good care of me. Thank you."

"My pleasure. Most definitely my pleasure." Sitting there, with her handsome cop boyfriend, at his funky retro table, in their new apartment, eating pot roast and remembering the hour of lovemaking that preceded dinner, she was yet again struck by how happy she was, how right this felt, how much she loved him and how wonderful it was to know he loved her just as much. Her days as a criminal seemed very far away, almost as if it had been another person, not her, who had lived that life. More like a story she'd read than actual events that she'd had a part in. She knew there would be times when her past would haunt her, but as she continued to move forward, weaving her life into Don's, forming a bond of love that grew stronger every day, she knew that in time the past would fade into the distance, slip off the edge of the horizon of their lives, until it was only a distant memory.

"Oh man, I'm stuffed," he said, leaning back in his chair. "That was an awesome dinner, sweetie. Thanks."

She just smiled.


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Note: Ok, I admit it. I thoroughly enjoy writing lovemaking scenes between these two! Don deserves it, don't you think?

AD chapter 30

Don was on his way back to Midtown to check in with Mac about a case they were working on. It was almost 4pm, and traffic was beginning to back up as it usually did at this time of the day. Driving in traffic didn't really bother him; it gave him time to think and sort out thoughts and ideas on the cases he was working on. He thought of it as organizing his mental filing cabinet.

He pulled out his cellphone and punched in Angie's number. It rang twice and then she picked up.

"Hey handsome."

He smiled at the nickname. "Hey baby, whatcha doin'?"

"I'm at Koree's place. She's showing me what she does with her polymer clay. It's really cool."

He heard a voice in the background, then Angie said "We've just been invited for dinner here. You want to?"

"Sure, but I won't be done till about six. Is that too late?" He heard her talking to them. "No, that's fine."

"Ok, I'll call you later and get directions."

"Actually I'm gonna have Koree run me home so I can freshen up, so meet me there."

"Ok, I'll see you in a bit then. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

csinycsinycsiny

Don unlocked the door and let himself into the apartment. The first thing he noticed was the faint smell of vanilla in the air. Angie's perfume. _Damn, I love that scent. Makes me wanna jump her bones..._

"Hey baby it's me." He locked the door, tossed his jacket on the sofa and went to find her. She was in the bedroom. She'd obviously just gotten out of the shower. Her hair was damp and she was dressed only in a lacy bra and panties. _Oh my god, I can't ignore that. I hope we've got time for some hanky-panky, 'cause if we don't, then we're gonna be late for dinner..._

She looked at him over her shoulder. "Hey, welcome home." She smiled at him; a flirty, sexy smile. He crossed the room in two steps and caught her in his arms. He kissed her deeply, passionately, and pushed her back until her legs made contact with the bed. She went down on her back, and he came down on top of her.

"Whoa, what's gotten into you, detective?" she asked with a little giggle.

"You. I smelled your perfume as soon as I came in the door. You know that stuff drives me crazy. And then I come in here and find you half naked..." He nuzzled her neck and she wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her on top of him. She bent and kissed him, soft, teasing kisses, the kind that got him hard almost instantly. She undid his tie and pulled it out from under his collar. She draped the tie over the headboard. Then she started to unbutton his shirt, slowly... too slow... he usually let her guide their lovemaking, let her set the pace, but there were times when she just went too slow...

"I think I'm gonna have'ta pull rank on you..."

"Oh yeah? You think so?" she said with a smile. "What, I'm moving too slow for you?"

"Yeah you are. I want you. Bad." He pushed her back onto his legs, sat up and unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it off, then pullled off his undershirt as well. "Shoes and socks," he said. She grinned at him and turned to take care of those articles of clothing, getting them off quickly. She turned back and unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, grabbed them and pulled them off along with his boxers.

He grabbed her around the waist and rolled them over so he was on top. He was about to take off her bra but then decided to leave it on. He kissed the curves of her breasts, the parts that weren't covered by the bra. He pulled the straps off her shoulders and kissed her there. He went up and kissed the cleft in her chin and then went back down to her cleavage, pushing his tongue between her breasts. He brushed his lips against the lace trim of her bra, and again wanted to take the bra off, but made himself leave it on. The idea of depriving himself of this delectable part of her body was highly erotic. _Like I need to get any hornier than I already am... Jesus, I can't wait any longer... _he ran his hand down her side until his fingers found her panties, slipped under them and started to pull them down. She raised her hips for him, and he slid them down her legs and off of her.

He looked at her. She was naked except for her bra, and she was propped up on her elbows, watching what he'd been doing, and now looking at him. She lay back and her legs parted, just a little. _Oh god, she's playin' me like a violin. I gotta get a grip or I'm gonna come before I even get inside her... _He took a slow, deep breath and tried to calm down a bit. He took another breath, let it out and then slipped his hand between her legs and pushed them apart. He slid a finger up inside her. He was both excited and relieved to feel how wet she was. _Just maybe I won't come before she does..._ he parted her lips with his fingers and pushed in, slowly.

"I'm scared I'm gonna come before you do," he whispered to her as he struggled to stay in control.

"So you get me off after," she said into his ear. "Just go for it. Just fuck me Don."

He had a split second of feeling like he had to try to hold back, and then he just gave in and tightened his stroke, picked up the pace, and it wasn't long before he exploded into an orgasm that literally took his breath away. He lost his awareness of anything except the waves of pleasure shuddering through him. It only lasted a moment, and then he felt Angie push up against him. _She didn't come... Shit! Better do something quick..._ he pulled out of her and heard her utter a little cry that was almost desperate sounding, and he knew she was right on the edge. He went down and pushed his tongue against her most sensitve spot, and started the little flicking motion that he knew would send her into orgasmic ecstacy. And he'd been right. She was so close to coming that it didn't take long at all to get her off. Making her come after he did instead of before was different; he felt it more in his belly than his genitals, but it still felt wonderful. He heard her moaning with pleasure and felt a sense of relief that he was still able to get her off this good even though he'd come before she had.

He stayed where he was, kept kissing and licking her until he felt her relax. He lay down beside her.

"You better call Koree and tell her we're runnin' late," he said.

She started to giggle and the next thing he knew they were both laughing out loud.

"That was deliciously different," she said.

"I dunno what came over me," he replied.

"I kinda like it when you go all cave-man on me once in a while."

"I think it started when I walked in and smelled your perfume. Then I come in here and find you almost naked. My primal instincts just took over. But I'm sorry I jumped the gun on you."

"Don't be. I'm completely satisfied. And now we get to go have dinner."

"Well you better call them!"

"I know. Where's my phone?"


	31. Chapter 31

Angie looked at the clock. 9:15pm. _Dammit, he was supposed to be home hours ago. He told me he'd be done at six. Where the hell is he? A phone call would be nice. It's bad enough he's working on my day off. I know I shouldn't be getting pissy about it. I've been a good girl and haven't turned on the TV to see if he's in some standoff or hostage situation somewhere. Patience, Angelina. He'll be home as soon as he can. _

She'd put dinner in the fridge awhile back. She'd baked a chicken, made a salad and cooked a box of Rice-a-Roni. _Not exactly gourmet fare, but we both like it so what the hell. _She'd eaten at around 7:30, deciding that she didn't need to wait all night for him to come home and join her.

She was irritated with him for not calling her, but more than that she was worried about him. It wasn't like him to not call her and let her know he'd be late. She'd tried calling him a couple times but had gotten his voice mail. She resisted the urge to call Danny or the squad room to see if anyone had heard from him. She was pretty sure he wouldn't appreciate that. She'd left him two messages and she wasn't going to call him again. But she was restless, her mind running in circles trying to sidestep images of him hurt, or worse.

_This is what life with him is gonna be like so you better learn to deal with it. We've talked about this before, and you agreed you could handle it. So handle it. But I still wish the fucker would CALL ME!!! I wonder if a soak in a hot bath would help me key down. I guess it's worth a try. Or maybe I could put on some music and dance. Now that's a good idea... _

She found her dance mix CD and put it in the player. The music started and she smiled. Her dance music wasn't just rock and roll or disco, but included world beat stuff from artists like Jesse Cook and Tulku. She'd put in anything that she could dance to, that had a good beat. It was all music that she loved and as soon as she heard it she began to move to the rhythm. She always lost herself in the dancing, let the music take her where it wanted her to go.

Don had never seen her dance. _Too bad he can't see me now, dressed in shorts and a halter top, barefoot. Of course I'm too irritated with him right now to take advantage of the reaction I'd probably get if he saw me. _

She moved to the music, imagining that she was a harem girl or a belly dancer, in swirling veils with coins on her belt. Jesse Cook's _Byzantium Underground_ was a perfect backdrop for that fantasy. _Or maybe I'm a gypsy woman, dancing by firelight to mandolins and tambourines and flutes, in a forest clearing under the Full Moon. A white peasant top pulled off my shoulders, my skirts flowing, swirling as I move. It's a good thing this building has good heavy walls or I'd have people complaining... nah, it's not up that loud..._ She'd gone outside and down the hall once when she had the music on to see if it could be heard outside the apartment, and found that as long as she didn't crank the bass too much it was fine.

She let herself be carried on by the music, feeling the beat of the drums in her belly, the guitar dancing through her head as she danced across the floor of the living room. She'd moved the coffee table out of the way to give her more space. She didn't want to bang her knee on it if she was dancing with her eyes closed, which she did often.

_May as well do a little magic while I'm at it... _She danced in a clockwise circle, imagining Don protected and safe, wherever he was right now. She might have been ticked off at him, but she didn't want anything bad to have happened to him. She continued to move clockwise, deosil, Witches called it, her mind weaving a web of protection around her beloved, and herself, and then sending it outward from her center like ripples in a pool, touching anyone who wanted it, and only if they wanted it. No interfering with another's free will. Don knew she did this for him, though she didn't tell him it was magic or Witchcraft. She just told him it was positive energy, similar to prayer, which, in essence, was what it was.

She was so wrapped up in the magic, the dance, the hypnotic quality of the music, that she didn't see him open the door and stop short on his way in, and just stand there staring at her.

_Oh... fuck... _He'd heard the music faintly from outside, and got hit with the full effect of it when he opened the door and started to walk in. He looked up and saw Angie dancing in the living room. He just stopped and stared. He'd never seen her dance. He had no idea she could move like that. She was unbelievably beautiful, dressed in shorts and a halter top, barefoot, her hair loose and flowing down her back, her body moving fluidly to some really lovely music, something with guitar, sort of spanish sounding. He knew at any moment she'd open her eyes and see him standing there gaping at her, and wished passionately that he could turn into a fly on the wall so he could just watch her. He was afraid she'd stop if she saw him, or that he'd scare the shit out of her suddenly appearing in the living room. _Don't open your eyes, just keep dancin'... god, you're so beautiful, you make me wanna cry..._

Angie felt a change in the air. _Don's home..._ she kept dancing. She could smell his bay rum after shave, feel his presence in the room. _Get an eyeful, detective, 'cause you're gonna get an earful later... _She pulled out all her best moves and really gave him a show. She turned slowly... and saw him standing there looking at her. She gave him her best sultry, sexy look and kept dancing, tossing her hair, undulating her hips, moving effortlessly to the beat. She found herself wanting to get him aroused so she could turn him down in retaliation for making her worry about him. She doubted she'd be able to pull that off though. _I've got no willpower to resist him or turn him down. _

The music stopped. She turned and looked him, and he remembered another time she'd looked at him like that. It was when she was in jail and he'd gone to talk to her about the gun... it was a defiant look then and it was the same now. _She's pissed at me because I'm late and didn't call her. It's a good thing I brought my busted cell phone home with me, because she'd never believe I dropped it and then stepped on it while I was cuffin' a suspect if I didn't have the evidence to prove it. _

"I know you're mad at me, but I have a good reason for not callin' you." She lifted her chin and glared at him. He pulled the crushed cell phone out of his pocket and held it out to her. "I dropped it and then stepped on it while I was grabbin' a suspect. It's toast."

"You couldn't have borrowed someone else's and called me?"

"Come on Angie, I didn't intentionally ignore you. It's been a really busy day. Didn't you just hear me tell you I stepped on the phone while I was collarin' somebody? The whole fuckin' day was like that. I couldn't bug another cop for their cell so I could check in with my girlfriend. And don't even start with me that I don't care enough about you to call you, 'cause you know that's bullshit. I was workin', and we talked about this. You said you could handle it. Right?"

Her gaze dropped to the floor. "Right. I can handle it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I've really been more worried than pissed. And it never occured to me that you would have lost or mangled your phone."

"Well, I wouldn't have believed it either. That's why I brought it home with me. Really, baby, it's just been non-stop all day, and there are gonna be days like this. I can't help that. And I know you can't help worryin' about me, but you gotta keep in mind that if you don't hear from me that there's a reason for it, and most likely it's that I'm runnin' my ass off out there. Shit, half the time I don't even know what time it is. It all runs together, and it's only when I see the sun settin' or feel my stomach growlin' 'cause I never had lunch that I realize how late it is. If it makes you feel any better, I think about you alot, especially if I know I shoulda called you hours ago but haven't had a chance." He crossed the room and put his arms around her. She didn't resist.

"Knowin' that you're gonna be here waitin' for me is what keeps me goin' when I'm havin' one of those days. I don't even know how to tell you how much that means to me. You know I'm better at showin' it. I don't ever want you to worry about me, but sometimes it's just unavoidable. All I can do is make every effort to keep you in the loop. And I usually do, don't I?"

She nodded at him. "Yeah, you usually do. Let's just move on. Are you hungry?"

"Starvin'. I never got lunch."

"Well let me fix you some dinner then. Go get out of your work clothes and I'll meet you in the kitchen."

He bent and kissed her, and then gave her a warm hug that she returned with equal enthusiasm.

"That was some show you put on with the dancin'."

"You like that, huh?"

"Fuck yeah. How come you never told me you could dance like that?"

"I don't know, it just never came up."

"You never cease to amaze me," he said as he headed for the bedroom.


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Note: I don't know, would Don dance? I figure, why not? I think he'd sure look good out there, so tall and slim and handsome. So what the heck?

"So Koree and Jeff want us to go dancing with them," Angie said as she pulled a casserole out of the oven. Don had just finished making a salad, and went to get the dressing and parmesan cheese out of the fridge.

"Dancin'? Where do they go dancin'?"

"I can't remember the name of the place but it's a restaurant and bar that they go to on weekends. Koree said we could meet and have dinner, and then they have a deejay after 9pm... I think that's what time she said."

"Huh," Don replied.

"What, you don't want to?" she asked as she put plates and silverware on the table.

"I didn't say that. Jeff likes to go dancin'?"

"Apparently he does. I just figure it's something we could do with them, and it would get us out of the house doing something fun."

Don poured them each a glass of iced tea and then sat down. Angie dished up salad on a plate and handed it to him.

"Thanks. Hey, I wanted to tell you that if you wanna start workin' part time for Marilyn, it's fine with me."

Angie just looked at him.

"So you can work on your web design stuff. You need time to get into that, right?"

"Well yeah, but that would mean less money every month."

"Only temporarily. You're gonna charge for doin' websites, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it's fair to you for me to only work part time."

"Why not?"

"Because you work your ass off Don. I don't want you to have to take up the slack for me."

"I'd be workin' the same whether you were in the picture or not. You'd be workin' for Marilyn part time, and doin' the web thing part time. It'll equal out. I want you to do it. You don't wanna argue about it, do you?"

"No, hell no. Ok, if you're sure."

"I'm sure. I know it's somethin' you like doin' and I want you to have time to do it." Don dumped a large scoop of the casserole onto his plate.

"So can I tell Koree that we'll go out with them?" she asked.

"Hey, this stuff is great. What'd you put in it?"

"It's kinda like the one you had at Marilyn's one night, but I put more cheese in it, and sauteed mushrooms."

"I remember. This is better than that one was."

"You're fulla shit."

"I'm serious! I like this better." He shook his head and smiled at her, then put another spoonful into his mouth.

"Well thank you. I like your salad too."

"Yeah, like it takes a gourmet chef to make a salad."

"Now wait a minute. You picked out all the stuff that's in it. Not everyone would have thought to put fresh basil in a salad. Oh and the yellow tomatoes. Very creative." Don had put more than that in this salad. It had two kinds of radishes, green onions, spring mix and romaine lettuce, red bell pepper and cucumber. It was colorful and pretty damn good, if he did say so himself.

"I like more than just lettuce in my salad." The dressing was home made too; a vinaigrette with garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

They ate in comfortable silence for awhile, just enjoying each other's company and the food they were sharing.

"So you didn't answer my question."

"What question was that?" He was sidestepping her. He wasn't sure about this dancing thing.

"Can we go out with Koree and Jeff?"

"You really wanna drag me out onto a dance floor."

"Why not? What, can't you dance?"

"I guess, yeah. It's just not something I do all that often."

"Well if you don't want to..."

"No, I didn't say that, exactly."

"So what's the problem?" _She's not gonna let up... what are you so afraid of, Flack? What's the big deal? _

"I just know I'm gonna look like a clumsy oaf next to you."

"Oh that's bullshit. You are anything but clumsy, Don. Come on. You're tall and slim and gorgeous. I'll be the envy of all the women there, dancing with you."

"Oh, jesus. Now I'm even more scared to go."

"Look, if you really can't handle the idea, I'll understand. I can always dance in the living room..."

Don remembered seeing her that night, swaying to the music with the latin beat. She was so beautiful. _It'd be me who'd be the envy of all the guys, dancin' with her. Ah hell, loosen up, Flack. It'd be worth it to see her dance again. I'd rather have her dance here for me, of course... _

"Ah hell, I guess if Jeff can do it, I can do it. But it'll be you they'll be lookin' at, not me."

"As long as you are looking at me, I'll be happy."

"Oh, I'll be lookin' at you, you can bet on that. Ok, yeah, we can go out with them."

She got up and went over to him, hugging him around the neck and kissing his cheek.

"Thanks. It'll be fun, I promise."

He shook his head. _Fuck, what'd I just get myself into?_

csinycsinycsiny

"Guess what I'm doin' Friday night?" Don asked Danny when he stopped by to say hello to him in the lab.

"Gettin' laid?" Danny replied with a smirk.

"Besides that, asshole."

"I give. What're you doin' Friday night?"

"Goin' dancin' with Angie."

"Get outta here. Where?"

"I don't even know the name of the joint, but it's a place that Jeff and Koree go to, and they invited us to go with them."

"Jeff and Koree?"

"Yeah, I told you about them. Angie's friend Koree who works at the market, and her boyfriend who teaches criminology at Chelsea."

"Oh, yeah, now I remember. Dancin', huh? How'd she talk you into that?"

"Basically by remindin' me of how she looked when I caught her dancin' in the living room one night."

"Hm. Can anyone join this little party?"

"You mean are you invited? It's a public place, Dan, so I guess if you wanna go you can. But if you make funna my dancin'..."

"What, you scared to get up there and shake your ass?"

"Fuck you, Messer. And it'll be Angie's ass that everyone'll be watchin'."

"Heh heh. Maybe I'll stop in and have a beer with ya."

"Sure. We're goin' for dinner first, then the music starts at 9. I'll find out the name of the place and get back to ya."

"Aright. I don't know if Lindsay'll go but it won't hurt to ask her."

"See if Hawkes wants to join us. Hell, make it a party. Why not?"

"I'll ask around. So how's the livin' together goin'?"

"I'm lovin' it. We gotta have you over for dinner soon. You haven't even seen the place yet."

"Yeah, what's up with that?"

"Nothin' personal, so don't get excited. I'll talk to Angie and see when we can have you over."

"I'll be waitin'."

"Ok well I'll call you later. Right now I gotta get movin'."

"Ok, see ya."

csinycsinycsiny

"Are you trying to seduce me, detective?" Don had walked up behind Angie and started to kiss her neck, caressing her shoulders and moving his hands to her breasts and cupping them gently. She was dressed in yet another lacy bra and panties that matched. He ran his hands down her sides and dipped his fingers into her panties, brushing the edge of her pubic hair. She breathed in and then sighed.

"Seduce you? What makes you think that?" he breathed on her neck, and caught her earlobe between his lips. He turned her to face him, and pulled her against him, entwining his fingers in her long dark hair. She looked up at him, a little smile curving her lips. He took her face between his hands and kissed her, a string of kisses that started soft and playful and then became deeper and more passionate. She opened her mouth and her tongue touched his, and it made the love creature do a big flip in his belly. Their tongues danced against each other, and she leaned into him, slipping her arms around his back, pushing her body against him. He caressed her soft skin, ran his hands up and down her back and then stopped and undid her bra. He stepped back and pulled it off of her, exposing her breasts, cupping them in his hands, gently stroking her nipples with his thumbs. She looked up at him, and he could see the fire of lust in her dark eyes.

"Your perfume is drivin' me crazy." He loved that vanilla scent. It made her smell edible. _Well, she is edible. Holy crap... she's so beautiful, so sexy... so delicious... _

He had an ulterior motive for this particular seduction. He'd seen her dancing, and she was incredibly sexy as she swayed to the music. He wanted to make love to her now, satisfy his lust so that he didn't have to fight a hard-on all night. _I'll probably still get horny watchin' her dance, but at least it won't be as bad..._

"You _are_ trying to seduce me. You're such a horny boy," she said, smiling up at him.

"Its your fault. You look beautiful, you smell beautiful, you feel beautiful... I can't get enough of you, you know that."

"Well we suffer from the same affliction then, because I can't get enough of you either. And I think your bay rum drives me even crazier than my vanilla drives you."

"It's a great combination, huh?"

"We're a great combination. So are you gonna make love to me or not?"

He smiled at her. "You're such a horny girl."

csinycsinycsiny

_Jesus Christ, what the hell am I doin' here? _

They'd had a nice dinner and enjoyed talking; Don and Jeff talking "shop", Angie and Koree talking about website design and bead making. They ordered a pitcher of draft beer with dinner, and Don was glad of that. _I'm gonna need to loosen up a bit if I'm gonna get up there and dance. _ He didn't want to get drunk; he just wanted to take the edge off. He laughed at himself inwardly. _All this nervousness over gettin' on a dance floor. Chicken shit._

But now dinner was over and the tables and chairs were being moved off the floor to make room for the dancers. There was still a circle of tables around the perimeter of the dance floor, and they claimed one of them.

He sat watching them clear the floor, sipping his beer. The girls had gone off to powder their noses.

"So Koree said that Angie had to talk you into coming here," Jeff said.

"Yeah. It's been awhile since I've done this. Angie's the first relationship I've had in a long time. I've been out of the loop, so to speak."

Jeff chuckled. "It's no big deal. Just relax and let her do her thing. She's who they'll be watching."

"I keep tellin' myself that. I'm just afraid I'm gonna look like a big goof next to her. I've seen her dance."

"A little self conscious, huh? I wouldn't have thought you'd have that problem."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"You're a New York City cop, Don. If that doesn't take confidence, I don't know what does."

Don thought about that. He realized that Jeff was right. What did he have to feel self conscious about? And who did he think he needed to impress? Angie. No one else.

"You know you're right. I'm just gonna go out there and have fun with my girl. Thanks for the pep talk."

"Not a problem."

The lights went down and the music started. At first no one moved, and then one by one, couples moved onto the dance floor. Angie and Koree were talking into each other's ears and he had no idea what they were saying. They were smiling, rather devilishly, he thought. Suddenly they both got up and bounced onto the dance floor together. Don raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't been expecting this. He looked at Jeff. Jeff just shrugged and smiled.

They watched the women dance together. Don was enjoying watching Angie move. She was so graceful, so fluid, so beautiful. She was dressed in snug-fitting white pants that only went down to just above her calf, and little flat shoes that looked like something a dancer would wear. Her top was very sexy, a black sleeveless number that buttoned down the front, was low-cut and had lace trim.

A thought occured to him suddenly. _She looks so good up there... I'd better get up there with her before some other guy tries to join her... _

"Hey, we better get up there with them before somebody else does," he said to Jeff.

"Let's do it," Jeff said, and they both headed for the floor.

It wasn't as bad as Don had feared. In fact, once he got up and started dancing, he forgot about feeling self-conscious and just let the music take him. Granted he didn't do anything fancy, but he enjoyed himself all the same. What was most fun was dancing with Angie. He let her do her thing, like Jeff had said, and watched her dance in circles around him, and just provided a counterpoint for her movement. Just being up there with her was a pleasure, and he had to admit it was an ego boost as well. _That's right, guys, this is MY girl. Don't you just wish?_

He was really getting into the music, enjoying watching her, and having fun, when he saw someone who looked familiar in the corner of his eye. He turned to look and saw Danny beside him. With him was Lindsay, and they fell into the rhythm with them. He grinned at his friend and then looked around to see if Hawkes was there as well. Sure enough, he spotted him on the perimeter, taking in the scene. Don knew that Sheldon wouldn't have any trouble finding dance partners. He was probably scoping out the crowd for potentials. Angie noticed Danny and Lindsay and waved hello to them, since it was way too noisy to talk at that point. She and Lindsay hadn't actually met, but they knew of each other. He'd have to introduce her to Sheldon.

_Why the hell was I so scared of coming here? I'm havin' a blast! _

The set ended and the dance floor cleared. They made their way back to their table, waving Sheldon over to join them. Danny and Don went looking for more chairs for the late-comers. They managed to find three that weren't occupied and brought them to the table. Everyone got seated and Don flagged down a waitress and ordered two large glasses of ice water. _Beer's not gonna cut it right now. _His throat was dry. Koree and Jeff decided that was a good idea and followed his example.

Don handled the introductions. Angie looked a bit nervous about Sheldon, because she didn't know him. Don could tell the ex-con thing was threatening to surface. But Sheldon put her mind at ease right away.

"It's great to finally meet you Angie," he said, smiling and taking her hand. She smiled back, and Don could see her visibly relax. If Sheldon liked you, you knew it right away. He had a soothing voice and a great smile. _Must be a carry over from his days of dealin' with patients._ He could be tough as nails if he needed to be but was a gentle and caring man. Don had told him alot about Angie, and he'd been impressed with her success in turning her life around. Sheldon wasn't judgemental. He took things at face value and tried to see the good in people.

"It's nice to meet you too. Don's told me a lot about you." Sheldon looked at Don.

"It was all good, so chill," he said with a grin.

The rest of the evening was spent dancing or talking, and they all meshed together quite easily. Between the seven of them there was plenty to chat about, and even the artist and the budding web designer got involved in talking about criminlogy, forensics and crime-fighting. No one treated Angie any different because she'd been on the other side of the fence, and she was able to provide insights from that angle that they didn't have. They talked about Koree's glass beadmaking, and the guys wanted to know about the torch she used, if it was anything like something they might find in a garage workshop. Danny asked Angie how she liked her iMac, and she thanked him for helping Don pick it out for her. They asked her about her web design studies, and she and Danny got into a conversation about programming. It was a perfect evening out.

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"I don't know why I was so scared of goin' out dancin," Don said. "I had a great time."

"I'm glad you did, and I knew that once we got you out there, you'd have fun. Having some of your friends show up couldn't have hurt."

"It was great. How 'bout you? You were havin' a blast out there on the floor."

"I loved it. And we all got along great, didn't we? But I was a little nervous when you all started talking about criminology."

"I could tell, but look what happened. You ended up givin' us some insights that we wouldn't have gotten otherwise."

"It felt good to have them just accept me and not judge me."

"None of them are the judging type. But Sheldon scared you, didn't he, until he started talkin' to ya."

"Only because I didn't know him. He's a really nice guy. How come he doesn't have a girlfriend?"

"I think he's just focused too much on his work right now. He'll get around to it when he's ready."

"Well I'm really glad you decided to go. Thank you."

"Thank you for talkin' me into it."

They arrived at the door to their apartment. Once inside, Don went straight to the bedroom and turned on one of the lamps on the bedside tables. The soft light illuminated the room with a pinkish glow. He was still getting used to the fact that lightbulbs were made in pink, but he loved the way it made the room look.

"I'm gonna take a shower," he said, smiling at her. "Care to join me?" He raised his eyebrows, knowing that she wouldn't be able to say no to him. She didn't.

"Hell yes I'm gonna join you. And then I'm gonna let you make mad passionate love to me."

"Oh ho, is that right?"

She came over to him and put her arms around his neck. "I know you want me, after watching me dance all evening."

"You got that right. You know that's why I jumped your bones before we went out. I knew how sexy you were gonna be and I didn't wanna fight a hard-on all night."

"Hm, that's good thinking. You sure you're up to another round?"

He took her hand and brushed it across his growing erection.

"Whadda you think?"


	33. Chapter 33

_I wake up next to him every morning. I had no idea how important that would turn out to be. Whether I'm snuggled against him or just sleeping on my side of the bed, it wouldn't be right without him here. This morning I'm lying on my side and he's spooning me, his arm around me. I can feel him breathing into my hair. His body is warm and solid against me. _

The alarm started beeping and Don shut it off. Angie turned over to face him and he smiled softly, his sky-blue eyes sleepy, his hair sticking up in little spikes on his head, a shadow of stubble on his face. He pulled her into his arms and she stretched out, feeling his body against hers. He always made her feel small next to him, and she was; six foot two next to five foot three. The way he held her, the way he could scoop her up in his arms and carry her around made her feel feminine and delicate.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Hey handsome," she replied. He smiled at her nickname for him. She felt him move against her. _Ah, there it is. His morning hard-on. He calls it his "wake-up woodie". _

"Hey, quit pokin' me with that thing," she said teasingly. He grinned at her, pulled her tighter against him just for a second, then let her go and got out of the bed. She got up and stretched, then got undressed and followed him into the bathroom. They had a routine that they followed on mornings when they both had to get up at the same time. He'd get up and hit the bathroom first, then go start the coffee while she was in there. By the time he got back to the bathroom she was usually already in the shower, and he'd join her. Taking a shower together was a pleasant experience whether there was sex involved or not. It was another opportunity to be close, and they'd learned to enjoy as many of them as they could get.

He liked to wash her hair for her, and she loved to have him do it. He applied the conditioner too and he would run his long, nimble fingers through her hair and ease out any tangles, carefully, lovingly.

"Your hair is really gettin' long," he said, turning her with her back to the spray of the shower so she could rinse out the conditioner.

"Am I getting split ends?"

"Baby, I wouldn't know a split end if I saw one."

"You don't think it needs trimming?"

He smiled at her. "You're askin' the wrong person, sweetie. Ask Marilyn if she thinks it needs trimming. I think it looks fine."

"You always say that. No matter what I ask you."

"Well can I help it that you're so gorgeous?"

"You're so sweet," she said, "and so diplomatic."

"I'm not bein' diplomatic. I honestly don't see anything wrong with your hair. I love it that you're growin' it out. It's really pretty."

She loved having him tell her how beautiful she was. It made her feel special. No one else would have made her feel that way. It was because it was him saying it that made it feel so good.

She looked at him, standing with his back to her, his head under the water, rinsing shampoo out of his own hair. The suds ran down his back and over his tight, sexy ass, down his long, muscular legs... _don't, don't get started. There's not time for it this morning. _But she couldn't help but look at him. It had been his eyes that she'd first noticed, but when he'd stood up the day he'd talked to her in jail, she'd noticed how tall he was, how gracefully he moved, and how damned sexy he looked in a suit and tie. And as the months had gone by while she was doing her time, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about him. That was why she'd looked him up when she got out. She figured that if he could get under her skin like that, there had to be something worth looking into. _And now here I am, in the shower with him in our apartment. Sometimes it still feels like a dream. _

He turned around and suddenly she was looking at his genitals instead of his backside. _Oh, I so wanna touch that, play with it, feel it harden in my hands... stop it Angie! We don't have time!_

She looked up at him, and he had a questioning look on his face.

"What were you just thinkin'?" he asked her.

"I was thinking that I wish we had time to make love this morning."

"Who says we don't?"

"Don, we both have to be at work at eight. There isn't time."

"There is if we skip breakfast."

She only hesitated for a second. Then she closed the gap between them. _Who needs food? _

"But let's do it in here," he said. "It'll save time."

"Fine with me." She backed up a step and did what she'd been thinking about; touched him, fondled him, and felt him get hard in her hands. She felt a rush all through her, pinwheels of arousal spinning inside her, floating down and blossoming between her legs. She was so focused on touching him that she almost jumped when he touched her. She let out a little cry of surprise, and felt him get even harder. He pushed a finger up inside her, and she looked up at him. He had a little smile on his lips and a look in his eyes that she could only describe as intense.

"Let's try something new," he said, his smile broadening into a grin.

"Ok..." she wondered what he had in mind.

"Jump," he said, and then put his hands under her arms and nodded. She jumped and he caught her and lifted her. She got what he had in mind and wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck. He balanced them and then stepped forward until her back made contact with the wall. She gasped at the cold surface on her skin.

"Hold on," he said, and she tightened her arms around his neck. She wasn't sure how he did it, but she felt him push into her. He lowered her in his grip just a bit and she felt him go in deeper.

"Oh my god Don," she muttered. The way he pushed against her was intoxicating. She was caught between him and the wall. She tilted her hips to maximize her contact with him. His lips found hers.

"You like this?" he asked between the kisses.

"Oh god yes, this is crazy good," she replied breathlessly. _Crazy is right. Holy crap! He's driving me insane. I'm gonna come any second... _He was thrusting into her, tight against her... she was caught between him and the wall, and she tightened her legs around his waist... he covered her lips with his and drove his tongue into her mouth. Somehow having him push his tongue into her mouth the way he was pushing into her with something else was unbelievably erotic. She heard herself moaning. His mouth pulled away from hers. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Angie, I love you so much, oh, god I love you..." The impact of his words hit her in the pit of her stomach and she came in a sudden rush... it felt so good, so incredibly good that she had to stifle a scream. She muttered incoherently, lost in the shuddering waves of her orgasm, and then she felt him convulse and he let out a strangled shout, and she knew he was coming... the expressions of endearment trailed off into faint grunts and moans. She held onto him until she felt him start to go soft and he braced his hands against the wall while she lowered her legs until her feet touched the floor of the tub.

"Good fucking god, that was incredible!" she said. He started to laugh, sounding mildly delirious. She was trembling with exertion and release, but she found herself laughing as well.

"We're both gonna have the biggest shit eatin' grins all day long," he said weakly.

"Definitely worth skipping breakfast for," she replied. "But my legs feel like jello."

"Yeah, mine too." They both kept laughing, holding onto each other under the water that was starting to turn cool.

"We better get outta here and get dressed," she said. "I hate to think what time it is."

Don turned off the water and grabbed the towels off the rack, handing one to her and then wrapping his around her and pulling her close to him. She slipped her arms around him and leaned into him, lifting her face to look up at him. He kissed her tenderly. "Next time we do this we'll have to start earlier," he said with a smile.

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Angie got off the bus a few blocks from the apartment. She liked to walk, and the short trip gave her a bit of exercise. It was staying light later now so she got no arguement from Don about how it wasn't safe. Before daylight saving time had kicked in and she was coming home after dark he'd worried about her taking the bus home and had pretty much forbidden her to walk. She'd been indignant, arguing that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but came to realize that he was just concerned for her safety, and not trying to control her. As a police officer, he had a different perspective than she did. He knew how dangerous it could be out there on the streets, and maybe he over reacted where she was concerned, but she had to admit he had a point. In the end they'd compromised. She could take the bus but if it was dark she had to get off at the stop nearest the apartment. It was better now because the bus stopped almost outside the door to their building. She didn't go out walking after dark unless she had someone with her, preferably him.

She unlocked the door to the apartment, went in and locked the door behind her. Another thing he'd insisted she do. This made more sense to her; opening oneself to home invasion was just plain irresponsible, when simply locking the door could keep out unwanted guests. They lived in a relatively safe neighborhood but still, it made sense to be cautious. She smiled as she remembered the talk they'd had about this...

"How is it that you give me no arguement about lockin' the door, but you think it's fine to be out on the street alone after dark?" he'd asked.

"Don, there are other people out on the street. It's not like I'm alone in a dark alley."

"No, but you walk past them. What if someone jumped out from behind a dumpster and grabbed you?"

"Oh come on, Don. What are the chances of that happening?"

"Better than you think, obviously. Why do you have to put yourself at risk just to prove that you're independent?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You, rollin' your eyes and yackin' at me that you can take care of yourself. Fuck, Angie, you're five-foot-three and weigh what, 110 at most? You couldn't fight off an attacker. I know you don't know how to defend yourself. After the places you've been and the things you've seen I can't believe you could be so naive. Or maybe it's the ex-con rearin' her ugly head again. 'I'm Miss Bad-Ass convicted felon, don't fuck with me, I can take care of myself.' Is that it?"

"Why are you being such a jerk?"

"Because I don't want you takin' unnecessary risks. I don't wanna respond to a call on a dead body in an alley and show up and find out it's you. Or respond to that call worryin' that it's you because I know you wander around outside after dark."

"You're a fine one to talk about taking unnecessary risks."

"I don't take unnecessary risks. I do my job and take every precaution to keep myself and my fellow officers safe. That's a far cry from bein' a tiny little woman out walkin' alone at night."

She'd just glared at him. He'd come over and put his hands on her shoulders. At first she tried to twist away from him, but he held her in place and she ended up just standing in front of him, looking at the floor. He'd lifted her chin to look him in the eyes.

"I know you want to be independent and I understand that, but you know I'm right, don't you?"

"I think you're being over-protective."

He'd shaken his head. "Jesus, Angie. Do you need me to tell you about some of the dead women I've found in alleys? Come on. Trust me on this one. I'm only lookin' out for you. I can't help it. I love you. I don't wanna lose you because you're stubborn."

She'd sighed heavily. "I hate it that you're always right."

"Well I'm not always right. But on this? Yeah, I think so."

In the end she'd given in and done what he wanted, mostly because she knew he was right about the safety issues, but also because she'd realized that he was right about her taking unnecessary risks. She tended to tempt fate, and she wasn't sure why. It was something she needed to figure out and work through.

She went to the fridge and started pulling out ingredients for dinner. Don was supposed to be done at six, but she knew that was an estimate at best. _Who knows what time he'll actually show up? But I'm going to make a nice dinner anyway. _She'd found a recipe that sounded good and that she thought Don would like.

She wasn't allowed to watch the news if he wasn't there, so she turned on the stereo and put on some music. She went about fixing dinner, making a spicy honey-orange glaze for chicken breasts, chopping up veggies for a salad, and making mashed potatoes from scratch, not out of a box. Now and again she'd dance around the kitchen to the music she was playing. She set the table and put the salad in the fridge. The chicken would only take a few minutes to cook, so she decided to wait for Don, at least for awhile, before she finished preparing the meal.

She poured a glass of iced tea and sat down on the sofa. She was tired from working all day and it felt nice to just put her feet up and relax. She took off her sneakers and put them under the coffee table. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

She was just dozing off when she heard a key turning in the lock. Don was home. She opened her eyes just as he was walking in. He turned and locked the door behind him and then turned back to face her.

She sat up suddenly. "What the hell happened to you!?" The right side of his face was scraped and bruised along his cheekbone and up beside his eye.

"I was chasin' a perp and we tripped each other up. I went down pretty hard. I got the guy, but I'm kinda banged up."

She noticed the tear in his pantleg at the left knee and the blood on his right shirt sleeve.

"Kinda banged up? There's blood on your shirt. How bad is it?"

"It's just road rash. It looks worse than it is. My knee's pretty sore though. I had to get it x-rayed to make sure I hadn't cracked my kneecap. It's just bruised. I'm stiff and sore but I'm ok, so don't get excited."

"Don't get excited? Jesus. Come on, let's get you into something more comfortable." She got up and walked over to him, took his hand and led him to the bedroom. She helped him out of his mangled dress shirt. His arm was bandaged, so she couldn't see how bad it was. _That's ok, I don't wanna see it right now._ He kicked off his shoes, then undid his belt and his pants and let them drop and stepped out of them. His knee wasn't bandaged, and she winced when she saw it.

"Oh, that looks painful." she said. It was bruised, scraped and swollen.

"It hurts like a bitch. I need to take some Advil. I feel like I've been run over by a truck."

She pulled a pair of his pajama bottoms out of a drawer and handed them to him. "You're not going anywhere tonight so you may as well get comfy, huh?" She retrieved the belt from the ruined pants and wadded them up with the shirt. "I'll toss these. Go sit down and I'll get you some Advil."

"Thanks baby." He limped into the living room and lowered himself onto the sofa. Angie went and got him the Advil and a glass of water.

"Are you hungry? I'm about to finish making dinner."

"Once this kicks in I should be fine. Right now I'm a little nauseous, but I think that's just from pain."

"Ok, I'll wait till you feel better. I just have to cook the chicken. Everything else is done." She sat down on his left side. He took her hand and she looked at him. She could see the pain on his face, in the way his jaw was clenched and his brow furrowed. He was a bit pale as well. She hoped the Advil would start to work soon.

He sighed rather heavily. "l feel like I oughta be used to pain, especially after the bombing. But I was doped up a good bit of the time after that happened. I finally had to refuse to take the shit they were givin' me. I was afraid I'd get hooked on it. I started takin' ibuprofen, and dealt with the pain till it finally started to let up. But I guess if it hurts, then it hurts, whether it's fallin' and scrapin' up your arms and legs or gettin' a cell phone stuck in your gut."

She winced. "I feel bad for saying this, but I'm glad I didn't know you then. I don't know if I could've handled that whole thing."

"I'm glad too, because I wouldn've wanted you to go through it."

They sat quietly together, and after a while she saw his face relax. He took a deep breath and let it out, and she could tell the pain killers had kicked in. She patted his hand.

"I'm gonna go finish dinner," she said.

He got up from the sofa. "You got any more iced tea?" He followed her to the kitchen.


	34. Chapter 34

"In two weeks, huh? Have you told Angie yet?"

"Nah, I'm gonna tell her tonight."

Don and Stella were on their way out to the Bronx to talk to some people about a case they were working on. Don had found out the date for David's arraignment. David Lawrence, the guy who'd shot Angie in the market. _The bastard who almost killed the love of my life... _

"How do you think she'll react?" Stella asked.

"I don't know. I'm hopin' she won't flip out."

"Do you think there'll even be a trial?"

"I doubt it. There's too much evidence against him. Eye witness, surveillance camera. But Angie'll have to give a statement, and I know she'll be nervous about that."

"She won't have to see him though, so that should help."

"Yeah. They better keep him away from me."

"Now now, down Fang."

Don laughed at that. "I don't know whether to just spit it out as soon as I get home, or take her out to dinner and then tell her. Or somethin'."

Stella smiled and raised her eyebrows at him. "How's the new apartment?"

"It's great. When I first decided I wanted to move in with her, Danny asked me if I was sure I wasn't rushin' things. But I haven't regretted it for a second. Not that we've been there all that long, but still. It feels totally right."

"That's all that matters."

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Don picked Angie up from the market that evening. He went in to say hello to Marilyn while he was there.

"Hey Marilyn, how ya doin'?"

"Hey there detective! I'm great. How about you?"

"I'm good. I'm gonna see if my lady wants to go out for dinner. I got some news that I have to break to her."

"The arraignment?" Marilyn asked.

"Oh, you heard?"

"Yeah. I got a call from the prosecutor's office. I'm gonna have to go make a statement."

"Yeah, Angie will too and I'm not sure how she's gonna like that. Did you happen to mention it to her?"

"No, I figured they'd contact her, or you'd tell her."

Don nodded. "I'll be glad when it's over and we can put it behind us for good."

Angie came out of the office. "Hey, I thought I heard your voice."

"Hey sweetie." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her quickly. "You wanna go out for dinner?"

"Sure. What's the occasion?"

Don raised his eyebrows at her. "Do I need a reason to take you out?"

"Nope. Can we go to the Thai place?"

"Sure, if that's what you want."

"I'll see you tomorrow Marilyn." Angie said

"Ok sweetie. Have a nice dinner, kids."

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"Are you sure you don't have an ulterior motive for taking me out to dinner?" Angie asked over thai coconut ice cream.

"Now why would you think that?" Don asked.

"I don't know. I just sense that something's up."

"Well..."

"See? I knew. What is it?"

"I'll tell you after dinner."

"This is after dinner." She pointed her spoon at her dish of ice cream.

"No, I mean after we leave here. Wanna go for a walk in the park?"

"Wow, we haven't done that lately. Sure, that'd be nice. And then you'll let me in on whatever secret your hiding?"

"Promise." Don didn't want to ruin dinner by telling Angie about David's arraignment since he wasn't sure how she'd react._ Maybe she'll be fine with it, but just in case she's not... but it's just a deposition. All she has to do is tell the judge what happened. There's a ton of evidence against that asshole. She shouldn't ever have to face him..._

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It was a beautiful evening in Central Park. The weather was warming up nicely. The weather people were saying that the horrendous winter that New York had lived through would be followed by a long, hot summer. It wasn't here yet though. The night was cool but not cold, and the air had a fresh feeling to it that was unusual to find in such a big city. But the park was it's own environment; the trees and grass and water gave a completely different feel to this part of New York.

"So what's up?" she asked him. "What's the big secret?"

"Well, I wish I could tell you it was somethin' fun, but it's not. David's arraignment's in two weeks, and at some point in the near future you'll have to go give a deposition."

She stopped short and looked up at him. "Oh. Well that makes me nervous."

He tried to reassure her. "You probably won't have to face him. You just have to tell the judge what happened. There's no way he's gonna get away with what he did to you."

"That's not what makes me nervous." The way she looked at him made something clench in his chest.

"Well then what is it?" he asked her.

"Being on the other side of the fence... being the victim instead of the perp."

Don didn't know what to say. This was outside his experience. Again, the differences between them came into sharp contrast. He'd never been on the other side of the law, and he had no idea what she was feeling. So he did the only thing he could think of.

"Com'ere," he said, and pulled her into his arms. She hugged him tightly and he could feel the tension in her body. He held her close, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head.

"Relax, baby. It'll be fine. We'll get through this together. Ok?"

She nodded, not looking at him. He held her, stroking her hair, running his hand up and down her back. After a little while he felt her relax slightly.

"I can hear your heart beating," she said. Her left ear was against his chest. "It sounds wonderful. It's actually making me feel better."

"That's 'cause it belongs to you."

She looked up at him. "I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He kissed her gently. "I love you too, and I'm not goin' anywhere. Come on, let's walk."

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That evening, in their bedroom, by candle light, Don snuggled against Angie, kissing her neck and running his long beautiful hands over her bare skin. She tried to get into the mood, but she just couldn't relax and let herself enjoy his attention. _This has never happened before... what the hell is wrong with me?_ Usually she'd be arching into his touch, her body ablaze with arousal, but tonight, it just wasn't there. _This isn't possible, that I could be numb to his touch..._ She felt a sudden surge of panic. She didn't seem to be able to breathe. She gasped, and struggled to get some air. She felt like she was going to faint.

"Whoa, hey, what's wrong?" Don sat up suddenly and looked at her. "Baby, what is it?" She looked at him and she could see the look of alarm in his sky blue eyes, the fear on his face. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but no words would come. She felt like she was sinking, being sucked into a void, a place with no air, no light, no sound, no feeling...

"Angie! Jesus, what's wrong?" He pulled her into a sitting position. He took her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. She found herself wishing he'd slap her and snap her out of it, but she knew that was the last thing he'd do. She struggled to get a breath of air so she could speak, but it was like her throat had closed up. She felt a strange wave flow up through her, and her vision darkened..._ oh shit, I'm dying..._

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Don watched in horror as Angie's eyes rolled back and she went limp in his grasp.

"What the fuck! What's happening? Angie, ANGIE!!!" He was terrified. One minute he'd been kissing her, touching her, looking forward to making love to her, and the next she was gasping for air, and then she'd passed out. He didn't know what was wrong. For a split second he went blank, didn't know what to do, and then his instincts and his training took over. He lay her back down on the bed, and felt for a pulse. Her heart was still beating. He looked at her, and saw her breasts rise and fall. _Ok, she's alive, she's breathing. Thank God. But what happened? _He was about to call 911 when she started to regain consciousness. He bent over her, his face close to hers, and spoke to her softly, caressing her cheek.

"Angie, baby? Wake up sweetie. _Oh God please wake up_... Angie. Hey, you there? Talk to me."

Her eyelids fluttered, and her brown eyes opened. She looked at him.

"Don..." she pulled in a deep breath. Don felt a surge of relief so intense that he felt like _he_ would faint.

"Are you ok? What happened?"

She reached up and put her arms around his neck. She started to sit up, so he pulled her up and onto his lap. He held her close, still dizzy with relief that she was conscious. He took a deep breath and was just beginning to relax when she started to cry. The next thing he knew she was sobbing almost hysterically. _Oh god, no, don't, I cant stand it... _He always felt helpless when she cried like this. Not that she'd done it that many times, but on the occasions that she had, he'd cringed inwardly because he never knew what to do to make her feel better. He just held her while she sobbed, feeling confused and scared, and praying that she wouldn't pass out on him again.

"Angie, baby you're killin' me here. What's wrong? Please, talk to me."

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She couldn't stop crying. She knew she was freaking him out but she just couldn't get a grip on it. She was so scared, scared of what was happening to her, and she hadn't even gotten past that to what was causing it in the first place. _Here I am, sitting naked on his lap, crying hysterically... oh shit, what the fuck is wrong with me! Poor Don, he's so freaked out... _she struggled to get her sobbing under control.

"I'm gonna take you to the hospital," he said.

"NO! No, Don, please, I'll be ok, just give me a minute."

"Angie, you are not ok. You had a panic attack or somethin'. You passed out. You scared the shit outta me."

"Panic... panic attack. That's what it was. I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was dying."

"Oh jesus, Angie, you have to let me take you to see a doctor."

"No, Don, really, I'm ok now." She knew she wasn't ok, but she couldn't deal with the thought of going to a doctor. She didn't want to move, didn't want to leave the safety of his arms. "Just hold me. Please."

"Angie..."

"I'm NOT going to the hospital! NO!" She could feel the hysteria rising again, and she knew she was pushing him past the limit of what he could handle. She felt him reach out over her shoulder and she turned and saw him with the phone in his hand, and she knew he was about to dial 911.

"No, Don, don't, please, I'll be ok, just give me a minute..."

"Marilyn? Hey, it's Don. No, I'm ok. Listen, I know it's late but I need your help. Angie's havin' a panic attack and she won't let me take her to the hospital... Yeah... Can you come over here? Ok, just let yourself in. Thanks."

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"Marilyn? She's coming over?"

"Yeah, so we gotta get dressed. Come on." He lifted her off his lap and stood up, taking her hands and pulling her to her feet. He looked around for the clothes she'd worn that evening.

"Nah, that's too much work," he said to no one in particular as he looked at the jeans and tank top she'd been wearing, and then pulled a drawer open and fished out one of her nightgowns.

"Here, let's put this on." He helped her into the nightgown. It just happened to be one he really liked; sleeveless cotton with lace around the neck. It was a pale pink color that looked really pretty on her olive skin. He was too upset and scared to really appreciate it, beyond the fact that he recognized it as one that he liked. He found his pants and shirt and put them on quickly, not bothering with undergarments.

He looked at her. She was standing there in her nightgown, looking sleepy. Then he noticed that she was shivering.

"Are you cold?" He put his arms around her and stroked her back.

"A little."

"Get back in bed," he said gently. "Marilyn'll be here soon. Come on baby, lie down." She did as he asked, and he pulled the sheet and comforter up over her, then sat down on the bed. She rolled onto her side facing him and reached for his hand. He took her hand and smiled at her. He really wanted to calm her down, he wanted to do anything to get her to relax. He lay down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair. _Speakin' of calmin' down, I need to do that too... _he could feel how tense he was, and he started breathing deeply and evenly, willing himself to relax. _She'll be ok. Somethin's definitely wrong, but she's awake, breathin' and she seems to have calmed down, at least for now. Come on, Marilyn. I need you._

After a little while, he heard a key turning in the front door.

"Don, Angie? It's Marilyn."

"We're in the bedroom," Don called. "Come on in, we're decent." He sat up just as Marilyn came into the room. He got up and went to greet her. She gave him a hug, and put her hand on his cheek.

"How you doin' honey?" she asked him.

"I've been better."

"It'll be ok." She had a small paper bag in her hand. She reached in and pulled out a tiny brown bottle with a yellow label.

"What's that?" he asked, frowning slightly at the bottle.

"It's Bach Flower Rescue Remedy. It's just flower essence. Completely legal. I want you to put five drops under your tongue. Come on, it's not gonna hurt you. It'll calm you down. We'll give Angie some too."

Don shrugged and uncapped the bottle, and took the dose she prescribed.

"Good boy. Now. I want you to go heat some water and brew each of you a cup of this tea. It's for tension and stress. It's just herbs, honey."

Don looked at the box, and read the ingredients. He looked at Marilyn. "Ok Mom." He went to put on the kettle.

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Marilyn came and sat on the bed. "Hey, sweetie, how you feelin'?" She smoothed Angie's hair back from her forehead. She smiled at her, and Angie felt a warm, motherly energy radiating from her friend and boss.

"I'm ok Marilyn. I'm confused though. I don't know why I flipped out like that."

"Well how do you feel now?"

"I almost feel like I'm high or something. But I'm also sleepy, like I used up all my energy during the attack."

"Probably the aftermath of an adrenaline rush. Here, sit up and take some Rescue Remedy."

"Oh, thanks, I'm glad you brought that. Did you have Don take some?"

"Uh huh, and he's brewing some Tension Tamer tea."

"Hmm, good idea. Poor guy, I scared the crap out of him."

"I'll bet you did. Now tell me. Do you know what set this off?"

Angie thought for a minute. "It's the deposition. I'm really nervous about it."

"Can you tell me why?"

"Because I used to be on the other side of this particular fence. I keep worrying that the judge who handles the case will be one who handled one of my criminal cases."

"And why does that scare you?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'm worried that the judge will look at me and favor David because of my history."

"Angie that's not gonna happen. Your case won't be handled any differently than any other one would be. And this isn't a case where the defendant is alleged to have committed the crime. There's no doubt that David came into the store to rob it and shot you. It's on surveillance tapes, I'm an eye witness. They can't make a case for his being innocent. No way. And no matter what you did or didn't do in your past, in this case you were completely innocent. You have nothing to be afraid of. Nervous, sure, but not panicked."

Angie nodded. "I kept thinking about it, and I sort of got into this loop, and it was like my mind kept going in circles and I couldn't clear my head. Poor Don was trying to get romantic and I just couldn't even get into it. That scared me even more than the other stuff." She felt herself blushing. "I mean, I know it's personal, but I've never not responded to his attentions... until tonight, and it was like my whole foundation was knocked out from under me. I'm not just talking about sex... am I making any sense?"

"Yes, I get what you're saying. Don is your anchor, the other half of you, and to feel like you couldn't get in touch with him had to be terrifying whether it was sexual or not. But do you realize that it had nothing to do with him?"

"I do now. I think I'll be a little nervous about it though, until the next time we, you know, and everything is ok."

"That's understandable." Marilyn smiled at her. "You don't have to be embarrassed to talk to me about this kind of stuff. You need to be able to talk to other women like this. I know you have Koree as well, but I hope you feel comfortable with me too."

"I do. Thanks Marilyn."

Don came into the bedroom. "Hey, I've got tea here. Though I really feel Iike I could use a drink."

"Go ahead and have one," Marilyn said. "But just one, not the whole bottle."

"Nah, let me see how the tea works first. Everything ok?"

"I think so. I think we've got her feelings sorted out. Wanna hear?"

Don took a deep breath, handed Angie her tea, and pulled the chair over next to the bed. He sat down and took a sip from his mug.

"I'm all ears," he said.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: This may be my last chapter for awhile. I want to let the show catch up with my timeline. I'm about a month ahead of the show with this story. I don't know, but maybe I can incorporate some of the show's events into my story.

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Don looked at his watch, again. Time was moving at a snail's pace. It seemed like forever since Angie had gone in to give her deposition, though he knew it had only been about an hour. He was nervous, worried about her, especially given the fact that the apprehension about this day had caused her to have a panic attack two weeks ago. He'd been terrified when she'd suddenly passed out on him, not knowing at that moment that she'd hyperventilated from anxiety. And as if that wasn't bad enough, when she came to she started crying hysterically and freaked out even worse when he told her he wanted to take her to the hospital.

Instead, he'd called Marilyn, and she'd come to their place, bringing Bach Flower Rescue Remedy and Tension Tamer tea. She'd made him take some of the stuff in the little brown bottle, telling him it was just flower essence and nothing illegal, and then sent him to the kitchen to brew the tea while she went in and talked to Angie. Of all the people he could have called, he knew that Marilyn would be the stabilizing influence that Angie needed to calm her down. Marilyn had a wonderful, Earth Mother energy about her. She was definitely a mother figure to both Angie and Don. She'd talked to Angie, gently pulling up the thoughts that had sent the younger woman into a panic attack. Don had been trying to seduce her when she'd started hyperventilating, and he'd felt guilty that he hadn't noticed she was in distress. He thought back to the conversation they'd had with Marilyn, drinking their tea and trying to make sense of the whole thing. Angie had explained to him that when he was touching her, she'd realized that she couldn't feel it, couldn't respond to him, and it was the feeling of being numb to his touch that had actually triggered the attack.

_Oh, jesus. That makes me feel like an insensitive oaf._ "Baby, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me you weren't ok?"

"Because I didn't realize it myself. It wasn't until I couldn't, you know, respond to you that I really got scared. I mean, that's never happened before..." He remembered how she'd dropped her gaze and blushed, and how Marilyn had put her arm around her shoulders. It made his heart ache to see her sitting there in the subdued pink light of the bedroom, Marilyn's arm around her, looking small and vulnerable and so unlike the bold and defiant woman he'd met in an interrogation room that day so many months ago. Again it had occured to him how so much of that attitude had been a defense mechanism, hiding what a sensitive and emotional woman she was. _I'm one of the few people who knows who she really is. I'm a lucky SOB to have that privilege. _

After Marilyn left, he'd held her close in the darkness of their bedroom, trying to tell himself that he didn't do anything wrong in trying to seduce her because he didn't know she was having a panic attack. But he still felt bad. He felt like he should have been able to sense it. _I mean, for fuck's sake, Flack, you knew she was nervous about the deposition, you couldn't think beyond your damn dick for five minutes? _He remembered how he'd tightened his grip on her and groaned audibly, and how she'd surprised him by speaking when he'd thought she was asleep.

"Don, don't feel bad, please. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I was just tryin'a tell myself that, but I wasn't believin' it. I shoulda been more sensitive. I'm really sorry."

"Don't be sorry. On any other night we'd still be making love, wouldn't we?"

He had to smile at that. "Yeah, I guess we would. But still..."

"No, no more of that. It's over now, so let's just let it go. I'm ok. Please?"

"Awright baby, I'll stop kickin' myself. But I owe you, big time."

"Oh, believe me, I'll collect. But right now I just want to sleep. I feel thrashed."

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Don was bent over, his elbows on his knees, rubbing his temples, when he smelled coffee. He looked up, and saw Danny standing before him, holding out a styrofoam cup.

"Hey man, what're you doin' here?" he asked as he took the cup from his friend's hand.

Danny sat down beside him. "I was in the neighborhood, thought you could use some company."

"How'd you know I needed coffee?"

"Well that doesn't take any special knowledge. When do you turn down coffee?"

"Good point. Thanks. Are you off work for the day?"

"No, I'm actually on my lunch break. I guess it's closer to dinner now though, huh?"

Don looked at his watch. It was almost 5pm. "Yeah, you're right. I told Angie that once she was done we'd go to our favorite mexican place and have dinner and a big margarita."

"That sounds like a great idea." They sat in companionable silence for awhile, and Don relaxed in Danny's presence. _I'm lucky to have such a good friend... _

"How long has she been in there?" Danny asked.

"About an hour and a half. If they're gonna go on much longer they're gonna have to take a break. But hopefully they'll just get done."

"You think she's ok?"

"I hope so. Yeah, I think she'll get through it alright. Between Marilyn, Joanna and me, we've talked her through pretty much everything, and really it's not like she's never done this before. Just not from this angle."

"Joanna? Oh, her lawyer. She's good, or so I've heard."

"Yeah, she was a perfect choice for Angie. She's really been great."

Just down the hall, the door opened, and Angie came out with Joanna. Don felt his heart flutter. Not only was he relieved to see her, but he was still getting used to seeing her dressed like she was today... in a suit. It was a tailored grey suit with a skirt and jacket, and she'd worn pantyhose and black pumps, and she looked so different from how he was used to seeing her. She had her hair pulled back in a big clip, neatly, not like she did when she was cleaning the apartment. Then she'd just twist it and clip it and it would stick up all over the place...

"Wow, she looks great in that suit," Danny said.

"You're tellin' me? She's beautiful." Angie turned and saw him, and smiled. Don felt like he would melt. He stood up, and so did Danny, and they walked down the hall to meet her.

"I'll say hello to her and then I'm on my way," Danny said. "You can handle it from here."

"Thanks for stoppin' by Dan."

"Any time, my friend."

Don met Angie halfway down the hall and encircled her in his arms. _Oh, man, it feels good to hold her. She seems ok..._ He looked her in the eyes. "You ok?" he asked.

"I am now," she said. "Hey Danny, you came to give Don some moral support, huh?"

"Yeah, I got a telepathic message that a friend of mine was in desperate need of coffee." They all laughed at that. "Anyway, I gotta get goin', but I just wanted ta say hi to you before I take off. You glad it's over?"

"Oh hell yeah. Thanks for hangin' out with Don."

"You got it. I'll see you guys later." Angie pulled away from Don and gave Danny a quick hug. "Say hi to Lindsay for me, ok?" she said.

"I'll do that." Danny grinned at Don and then took off down the hall to the elevators.

Don turned his attention back to Angie just as she was taking the cup from his hand. She took a long sip.

"Wow, this is good coffee. It'd be better with cream and sugar..."

"Well, Danny brought it for me, not you. Gimme." She handed the cup back to him.

"So you still wanna go have mexican food and margaritas?"

"I do. I definitely do. I can't wait to get out of here."

"Then let's go. You wanna stop at home and change?"

"No I'm ok," she said.

"Good. I like how you look dressed like that."

"Oh you do, huh?" she gave him a sexy smile.

"Yeah. I do. You look amazing. But then you always do."

"Flattery will get you everywhere."

"I'll remember that later tonight," he said with a smirk.

She giggled. "You gonna get me drunk and take advantage of me?"

"Don't give me any more ideas. My dirty mind is in overdrive as it is."

"Maybe we should go home first..."

"If we do that we'll never make it to dinner. It's up to you."

"Ah, let's go eat and drink margaritas and flirt."

"Whatever you say. Lady's choice."

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"That was a good dinner," Don said as he closed and locked the door of their apartment.

"And those were good margaritas too," Angie said. She walked straight through the living room into the bedroom and turned on one of the bedside lamps. She lit a few candles on the dresser, then turned the lamp off. The room was beautifully lit by the candle light. Don came up behind her and put his arms around her, bending and kissing the back of her neck. The sensation of his lips on her skin gave her goosebumps. She could smell his bay rum aftershave mixed with the scent of his body, a familiar blend that made her feel comfortable and excited at the same time. She turned in his arms and lifted her face to him. He smiled softly and her breath caught at how handsome he was. She never tired of looking into his sky-blue eyes, never ceased to be amazed at how thick and black his eyelashes were. _Women have to pile on mascara to get eyelashes like that. And those lips! So beautiful, shaped like a bow, and almost red. How the hell can a man have a mouth that pretty..._ and right now made even sexier by the faint shadow of half a day's growth of beard. She stood up on tip-toes and their lips met. Kissing him made a delicious weakness flood through her, a rush of heightened awareness of her body and the parts of her that came alive at his touch. She slipped her arms around his waist. She loved how tall and slim he was. It was one of the first things she'd noticed about him... after the beautiful eyes, of course. She loved the feel of the shirts he wore, and more than that she loved the feel of his muscular body under them.

Don pulled her closer against him. _Ooh, somebody's got a hard-on..._ which was fine with her because she wanted him. She'd been looking forward to it all evening, after he'd told her he thought she looked sexy in her suit. _He'll probably wanna make love to me while I'm still wearing it... _

"Somebody's ready to play," she said, pushing herself against him.

"I was ready before we went to dinner," he said, his smile broadening into a grin. He captured her lips with his and they just stood there kissing for a few sweet, erotic moments. Then she pulled away from him.

"I have to pee. I'll be right back. Don't get undressed." She went into the bathroom and after doing what she went in there to do, she thought for a moment, and then took off her blouse and bra, and put her suit jacket back on over her bare skin. _That'll give him a nice surprise..._ she buttoned the jacket and then went back to the bedroom. He was stretched out on the bed, still dressed except for his shoes. _Oh good, he turned the bed down. I might have forgotten that..._ she sat down beside him and started to unbutton his shirt. He reached up and opened the clip that held her hair up, and she shook her head to let her hair uncoil and fall down her back. He tossed the clip onto the night stand. She kept unbuttoning until she got to his pants, and unbuckled his belt. She tugged on the buckle and he lifted his hips so she could pull the belt out of the loops. She tossed it on the floor. She unbuttoned his pants. She noticed him looking at her jacket. _He just noticed the blouse isn't under it..._ he put his hands up under the jacket. His eyes widened.

"You took your blouse off... oh, your bra too. Nice." She smiled and unzipped his pants. He unbuttoned her jacket and pulled it open to look at her breasts. "Now that is a beautiful sight." He cupped them in his hands and she gasped. His hands felt so good on her skin. He stroked her nipples with his thumbs. She looked down at his hands on her breasts, and saw and felt her nipples contract and harden. She looked at him, and he smiled at her.

"Take your shirt off, your t-shirt too," she said. He sat up and unbuttoned his cuffs, then shrugged out of his dress shirt, then pulled off his t-shirt. _Ok, now do I want him naked from the waist up or have him put his dress shirt back on?_

"What?" he asked when he saw her staring at his chest.

"Put your shirt back on," she said.

"Which one?"

"The dress shirt."

He raised his eyebrows. Then he shrugged. "Ok, whatever you say." He put the shirt back on. "You want it buttoned?"

"No, leave it open." She bent and ran her tongue over one of his nipples and felt it harden. He ran his hand up her leg under her skirt. She smiled and waited.

"Whoa, what's this?"

"Hm?"

"You're not wearin' pantyhose..." he propped himself up on his elbow and pushed her skirt up with his free hand. "Oh, shit. Now that is sexy."

She was wearing thigh-highs, with lace at the top. She'd been looking forward to his reaction when he discovered them. She wasn't disappointed.

"You wearin' panties?" He reached up further and his hand found them.

"Don, I wouldn't wear a skirt without panties."

"Well, no, but you coulda took 'em off when you were in the bathroom."

"I thought you'd want to take them off for me."

"You thought right. Lie down." She did as he asked, and he reached up under her skirt again and his long nimble fingers caught her panties and pulled them down, slowly, over her thighs, down her legs and off of her. He took her shoes off while he was at it. They got tossed on the floor with his belt. He reached back up between her legs, and tickled her with his fingertips, fluttering lightly over her most sensitive area, brushing across her pubic hair. She moaned softly.

"You like that, huh?"

"You drive me crazy, you know that."

"Well, you're in charge, so what's next?"

She sat up. "Well, let's see. Let's get you settled here..." she propped some pillows up against the headboard and he leaned back, half sitting up.

"Do I get to take my pants off?" he asked her.

"Nope. But we'll at least move 'em out of the way." She grasped the waistband of his pants and boxers and pulled them down carefully, exposing his very prominent erection.

"That is a thing of beauty," she said, looking at him with a seductive smile. She pulled the pants down just far enough so that they wouldn't be in the way, then straddled his legs, hiking her skirt up but leaving it on.

"This has been my fantasy all evening. Fuckin' you in your skirt 'n jacket. Am I a dirty-minded bastard or what?"

"If you'll notice, I'm fucking you in your pants and shirt. So I guess I'm dirty-minded too, huh?"

"You're a naughty girl. Now come on, you're killin' me. Quit stallin' and do me."

"What, you getting impatient?"

"You always do this to me, tease me till I'm about to lose my mind."

"But I know you love it."

"I love you. And I want you. Now. Come on." He gave her that smile that he knew she couldn't resist. _Oh hell, what am I waiting for? I want him inside me so bad I can't stand it._ She took him in her hand and guided him in.

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"Who woulda thought that havin' sex while fully clothed could be so much fun?" Don asked, lying beside Angie in the candle lit bedroom.

"Well, we weren't fully clothed. But you're right, that was great." They were undressed now. Their clothes were in a heap on the floor. They were sprawled across the bed, having thrown the comforter and sheet off so they could enjoy the cool evening air coming in the windows. Making love with their clothes on had been followed by a short break and then a round of doing it without clothes on. Don had to get up early to go to work so Angie figured they were done for the night. She sat up and found the edge of the sheet and pulled it up over them, and made sure the comforter was in reach in case it got chilly in the room later. She rolled onto her side and snuggled up against him, her head on his shoulder, his arm around hers. She draped her leg across his thighs and put her hand on his belly, trailing her fingers over to the scar under his ribs. It made something twist deep inside her to look at it, feel it. She moved her hand up onto his chest. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could feel his heart beating under her hand. It always gave her a fluttering feeling in her stomach when she felt his heartbeat. He was warm and solid and strong and beautiful, and she felt safe and protected in his embrace.

She kissed him softly on the neck just below his jawline. He made a little noise, like a cat purring. He turned and kissed her on the lips. He gave her a sleepy smile and she smiled back.

"I love you Don."

"I love you too baby."

Basking in the glow of their love, content in each other's embrace, they fell asleep.

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The alarm went off at 6am. Don hit the snooze button. He felt Angie stir next to him. He turned over and pulled her into his arms. _I need to hold her for a few minutes. Then I'll get up._ She sighed, only barely beginning to wake up. He'd pulled her half on top of him, and he felt her put her arm around him. He caressed her bare skin with both hands, from her shoulders down to the curve of her bottom. _She's got such beautiful skin. So soft and smooth. God, she feels good. I can't get enough of touching her...  
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"Mmm, that feels nice," she said sleepily.

"Good morning beautiful," he said into her hair, and kissed her forehead.

"Hey handsome. What time is it?"

"A little after six. I'm gonna get up in a few minutes. I just wanted to hold you for a bit."

"I'll get up and make you breakfast," she said as she snuggled against him.

"No you won't. You're gonna stay in bed and get some more sleep."

"I don't need any more sleep. If you can get up now, so can I. I have to finish Koree's website today."

"Yeah but you don't need to do that at six AM."

"I'm not gonna do that at six AM. I'm gonna make you breakfast first."

"Angie..."

"No, don't argue with me, I'm getting up when you do."

"Jeez, you're stubborn. You gonna take a shower with me?"

"No, because then we'll want to make love and there isn't time."

"We could skip breakfast..."

"No, Don. You have a long day ahead of you. You need to eat before you get started." She nuzzled his neck and kissed him in the hollow of his throat. "What, you didn't get enough last night to last you through today?"

"I suppose I can wait till tonight. And breakfast does sound good." The alarm went off again. He turned it off and got up. She waited a few minutes and then got up and made the bed. He left the bathroom and went to start the coffee. She took her turn in the bathroom and was finishing brushing her teeth when he came back to start the shower.

"You sure you don't want to join me?" he said with a smile.

"Stop tempting me. Get in there. Breakfast will be ready when you get out."

He heaved a dramatic sigh. "Ok, fine."

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Don got treated to a ham and cheese omelet and potatoes fried with onions and bell peppers. Angie had started fixing the fried potatoes after she found out they were his favorite over hash browns. He liked eggs any way she cooked them, but the omelet was a treat. She usually just fried or scrambled eggs when she made breakfast. He knew she loved to cook for him, and he hoped she knew how much he appreciated it. _Maybe now would be a good time to tell her..._

"That was great, Angie. Thanks for takin' such good care'a me."

She got up and took the empty plates to the sink."Well, we can't have New York's finest out there fighting crime on an empty stomach. At least, not if I can help it."

He had to smile at that. _What the hell did I do to deserve her? Jesus, Flack, you are one lucky man..._ It wasn't just that she cooked for him, or even that their sex life was unbelievably good. It was much more than that. Someone who he'd looked at with disdain when he first met her had turned out to be a smart, fascinating woman. And if that wasn't good enough in itself, she was madly in love with him. _And I'm madly in love with her. I can't imagine my life without her now. How did I manage without this love in my life?_ He decided that it didn't matter. She was here now, and they were together, and that was what mattered.

He looked at his watch. "Shit, I gotta go." He went over to the sink where she was finishing up the dishes. "Comere you." He gathered her into his arms and kissed her, and felt her lean into him, returning his kisses enthusiastically. He felt his pulse quicken, and it was a wonderful feeling, the way she brought him to life with her touch.

They pulled apart a little, and she fiddled with his tie. "Be careful out there, ok?"

"Always. You have a good day sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'll call you later." He kissed her one more time, then grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and headed out the door.


	36. Chapter 36

Don unlocked the door and walked into the apartment. The first thing he noticed was a delicious smell of something cooking. He felt his stomach growl in anticipation. It had been another long day and lunch had been a protein bar and a bottle of water from the vending machines at the crime lab. He looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was a little after 7pm.

"Angie? Whatcha doin' baby?" he called, and then after seeing that she wasn't in the kitchen, he went to look for her in the office. He found her sitting at the computer. She didn't turn and look at him. She was staring at the monitor.

"Hey sweetie, what's up?" He looked at her and noticed that she was crying. He felt a shock of alarm strike through him, and he knelt beside her and put his arms around her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I got three orders," she said.

He shook his head, not understanding what she was talking about. "You got what?"

"I got three orders for websites. Three, Don."

"But that's good, right?" _Why is she cryin'? This is great news. It's what she's been workin' for... I don't get it..._

"Isn't that good?"

She nodded, still crying, still looking at the monitor.

"So whadda you cryin' about?" He wiped tears from her face. He wanted to go get some tissues, but he didn't want to walk away from her right now.

She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"I'm gonna go get you some tissues, hold on," he said, and got up. He brought the box back and put it on the desk, then pulled the other chair over and sat down next to her. He plucked two tissues from the box and handed them to her. "Here, blow your nose." She did as he asked, and wiped her eyes too.

"Ok, now tell me why you're cryin'."

"I just can't believe I got three orders. Three! I'm crying because I'm just so blown away. I'm happy but I'm just shocked, you know?"

Now he understood. _This is what she's wanted, what she's been workin' toward, and now it's happenin'. Her dream is comin' true. They're tears of joy and gratitude. _

"I get it. Tears of joy, huh? And surprise? But please do not tell me you still don't feel like you deserve this. Ok?"

"Ok, I won't tell you that. And I'll try really hard not to think it." She took a deep breath. "Two of them are going to use my templates, but one is a custom that I'm going to build for them. Is that not fucking awesome?"

Don smiled. "Yeah baby, that's fuckin' awesome. And you'll do a great job. Now will ya please not cry anymore?"

She smiled back at him. "Don, you oughta be used to what a cry baby I am by now."

"I know, I am, but it still hurts me when you cry. So what are you cookin'? I'm starved, and whatever it is smells great."

"Pork roast."

"Cuban pork roast?"

"Not exactly. More like latin than cuban."

"Uh-huh. Well, I don't mean to sound like the stereotypical man-home-from-work, but what time's dinner?"

"The roast is done, and the potatoes should be done too. Let's go get it on the table."

"Sounds good to me."

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Angie pulled the roast from the oven. Don took the salad out of the fridge and put it on the table. He set the table while she pulled another dish from the oven.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Caramelized sweet potatoes. I couldn't find sweet potatoes so it's actually yams but there's not that much difference. Sit down, Don, and let me get this on the table."

"Ok, I'm sitttin'. Do we have tea?"

"Yep. I'll get it." She put the roast and the potatoes on the table and handed him a carving knife and fork. "Start slicing the roast and I'll get the tea."

He started to carve the roast. "Damn this smells great. Lotsa garlic, huh?"

"Yeah. I got it from the Food Network, and it's one of Emeril's recipes so you know it's gonna be loaded with garlic."

"This meat is fallin' apart. How long did you roast it?"

"A total of four hours. It was actually served with fried plantains but I wasn't sure you'd like that so I went for the yams instead." She put two glasses of iced tea on the table and sat down.

"Plantains. Those banana-lookin' things?"

"Uh-huh. They're different, and I wasn't sure you'd like them."

"Well, you know me. I'll try anything once."

"I'll remember that next time." She watched him take a bite of the roast. He closed his eyes and she smiled. _He likes it. Damn, I love to see him enjoy my cooking. _

"Oh, Angie, this is delicious. You've outdone yourself with this one."

_Thank you, Emeril Lagasse._ It was a great recipe, a pork loin roast rubbed with a paste made from herbs, garlic and olive oil, and marinated in a combination of orange and lime juice, then roasted. She'd been looking forward to eating it after smelling it roasting all afternoon.

"It is good, isn't it? I was looking for latin or Caribbean recipes and this one sounded great, and not that hard to make."

"You gotta take some of this to Marilyn. She'll be proud of you," Don said around a mouthful of roast pork.

"You think so? Well I'm glad you like it."

"It's fantastic. You really like to cook, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. Especially for you."

He smiled at her, a smile that lit up his face and made his blue eyes sparkle. "Lucky me," he said.

_Goddess, I love him so much. He's the sun that shines on my life. My foundation, my refuge, my lover, my best friend..._

"Whatcha thinkin'?" he asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, just happy thoughts. This is nice, isn't it?"

"This is heaven." He turned his attention to his food.

She smiled. "Oh, I almost forgot the tortillas." She got up and opened the oven again, pulling out a packet wrapped in foil. She put them on a plate and set them on the table. "I figured they'd go better than bread or rolls with this meal."

"I'm gonna roll 'em up and dunk 'em in the pan drippings," Don said with a grin.

"That sounds like a great idea. But save room for dessert."

"Dessert! You gotta be kiddin' me."

"It's just ice cream. Vanilla ice cream with mangoes in ginger syrup."

"What, you tryin'a fatten me up?"

"I don't think that's possible. Besides, I love you just the way you are. And I like to cook for you. You appreciate it. And you deserve it."

He dropped his gaze and she saw him blush. He shook his head and took another bite.

"What?" she asked him.

"Nothin'. I'm still gettin' used to havin' you take care 'a me, that's all."

She just smiled. _I could start telling him how lucky I feel to have him in my life, how amazing he is and how privileged I feel to be able to take care of him, but that would just embarrass him even more. He knows how I feel, and he'll show me how he feels in his own way, later... _

"So you're not worried about doin' the website, are you? I mean, you know you can do it, right?"

"Oh yeah, I was just stunned to get three orders. Like you said, it's my dream come true and I was just overwhelmed with gratitude, is all."

"I can't wait to see what you come up with. I know it'll be great."

"Thank you, sweetie. I've got ideas tumbling around in my head already."

"Who are you doin' the website for? I mean, what's the site about?"

"She's an artist, and she wants to start selling her art online, and have an online gallery. So I have to come up with something really classy to show off her work."

"You'll do a great job. I know it."

Now it was her turn to blush. She smiled at him. "You're a great cheerleader Don."

"You deserve it."

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Don went on swing shift that week, working 4pm to midnight. At first Angie had complained about his rotating schedule, since he also did the graveyard shift, but by now she was used to it. She'd given up trying to keep the same hours that he did, for which he was grateful, since the lack of proper sleep had made her irritable and prone to emotional outbursts. She was still working for Marilyn three days a week, and after a couple weeks of grumpiness and defiance on her part he'd finally had to pull rank on her and point out how she was only hurting herself by trying to keep up with him. It hadn't been a problem until they'd moved in together and she had to deal with his schedule up close and personal. She still got upset with him if he went into overtime and didn't call, so he tried hard to find time to call her and let her know he was ok. He knew he owed her that much. Living with a cop was a challenge. Living with one who didn't keep her posted if he was running late had to be excruciating.

He unlocked the door and let himself in. It was almost 1am. He heaved a sigh of relief at finally being able to key down for the night. He loved his job, but that didn't stop him from being tired at the end of a long day.

The light was on in the office. He frowned slightly and went to turn it off, and then he saw Angie at the computer.

"What are you still doin' up?" he asked as he came into the room.

"Hm? What time is it?" she asked distractedly.

"It's almost one in the mornin', Angie. See me, home from work?"

"Shit. I had no idea it was that late. I've been working on this site since I got home from the market. I stopped for dinner and then came right back to it."

"You're supposed to be in bed."

"Don, I'm off tomorrow. I don't have to get up early. Don't worry, I'm not gonna overdo it. There's a plate for you in the fridge."

She didn't really need to tell him that. She always left dinner for him. If she didn't cook, she picked up something, a sandwich, chinese, whatever. There were times when he felt guilty for knowing that she'd make sure he was fed. Like he was taking her for granted. But when he'd expressed that to her she'd told him that he was being silly.

_"I love to take care of you. You know that. You're not taking me for granted." _

_"I don't deserve you," he'd said, smiling softly at her. _

_"No, _I_ don't deserve _you_. And we're both fulla shit. Aren't we." _

_He'd chuckled at that. "Yeah, we are." _

He bent and pushed her hair out of the way and kissed the back of her neck. She leaned into his kiss and turned her head and kissed him on the lips.

"Go get your dinner..." she said.

"Hmmm..." he kissed her again. "Dinner? Oh yeah. That kinda food." He straightened up and headed for the kitchen, undoing his tie and pulling it off, and unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt. He dropped the tie on the kitchen table and opened the fridge. He pulled out the plate she'd left for him. It was always a pleasant surprise to find out what she'd cooked. Not that she always did something fancy. Sometimes it was just a casserole or pasta and sauce out of a jar with some kind of meat added to it. But she paid attention to the details; making a salad, making sure there was some good bread to go with the meal, and there was always a pitcher of tea in the fridge.

He pulled the plastic wrap off the plate. He got a whiff of corn tortillas and enchilada sauce.

"Mexican food, huh?" he called. "You make this yourself?"

"Yep," she said as she came into the kitchen. She took the plate from him and put it in the microwave. "It's a casserole but it's got all the enchilada ingredients. Chicken, lots of cheese, corn and peppers. It was easy to make and it's yummy. I left you some salad too. Sit down and relax. I'll get it on the table."

He knew better than to argue. Besides, it felt wonderful to get off his feet. It had been a long day.

"Would you rather have a beer than iced tea?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. So how's the site comin'?"

"I'm making good progress. I really got into it, obviously, since I was still at it when you came in."

"I know what it's like to lose track of time, as you well know."

She turned and smiled at him. "Uh huh." She put the plate on the table, dished up some salad and got him a beer. She sat with him while he ate, and they talked about his day, and hers, crime fighting and website design. He stayed up and watched his Tivo'd Letterman monologue while she finished up a few things on the site, and then they went to bed. They were both too tired for sex, so they just cuddled and enjoyed each other's touch until they fell asleep.

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Don woke to sunlight streaming in the bedroom windows. He liked having the bedroom on the eastern side of the building. It was great on cold mornings, and he figured that it would be good in the summer too, because the sun would be on the other side, and the bedroom would cool down in the evening. The curtains that Angie had picked out muted the sunlight to some degree, so that it wasn't quite so hard on the eyes first thing in the morning.

She was lying on her side facing him, still asleep. He moved away from her, carefully so as not to wake her, and went to the bathroom. It was a little after 8am. He wasn't sure what they'd be doing this morning... _well, I know what I'd like to do..._ he debated whether to start the coffee now or wait till later. He decided to wait. He went and climbed back into bed.

The sunlight faded suddenly. It was one of those times when a cloud passed in front of the sun and the light dimmed so fast that it made him blink as if something were wrong with his eyes. It had rained the night before and there was more rain predicted for today. _A perfect morning to spend in bed with my girl._


	37. Chapter 37

Don was on his way out to Queens with Stella when his cell phone rang.

"Flack ...who? Are you kiddin' me? Uh, well, I'm on my way out to Queens right now. Shit. Is she right there? Ask her if she's got a cell phone ...yeah? Ok, give her my number and have her call me. Thanks." He snapped the phone shut and handed it to Stella.

"What's up?" Stella asked.

"I don't believe it. My mother is at the downtown building."

"Your mother? Wow. I hope everything's ok."

"Yeah, me too." The phone rang again. Stella handed it back to him. "Hello? Ma? What the hell are you doin' in Manhattan? ...You came to visit me? Where's Pop? ...oh. Look, I'm out on the road right now, and I'm not sure when I'll be back. Did you just get into town? ...How'd you get here? ...I wish you'da called me first. Ok, well, I dunno what to tell you except to make yourself comfortable and I'll get back as soon as I can. Were you plannin' on stayin' with me? Ok, we'll figure that out later. Awright, bye."

"Surprise visit, huh?" Stella asked with a small smile.

"Yeah. And she drove here. Alone. Pop's not with her. Somethin's up, and I bet I can guess what."

"Angie?"

"Yep. Damn! Well, there's nothin' I can do at the moment. Is this where we get off the highway?"

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Don and Stella took care of business in Queens and then headed back to Manhattan. Don was about to call Angie to let her know about his mom, but he decided not to. _That's all I need; for Angie have another panic attack when she finds out she's about to meet my mother. Better to surprise her. I hope. _

Don was told that his mother had been taken up to Mac Taylor's office. He and Stella rode the elevator together. They got off at the crimelab. Stella patted Don's back affectionately.

"Good luck," she said with a smile.

"Thanks," he replied. He took a deep breath and went to greet his mother. She was in Mac's office, looking out the window at the city.

"Hey Ma," he said, and she turned to face him.

Barbara Flack was an attractive woman of 52 years. She was 5'8" and had managed to stay slim and in good shape for her age. Don had gotten his blue eyes from her, but her hair was lighter, a warm brown with a few faint streaks of grey. She had a sprinkling of golden freckles across her nose and cheeks. She had a beautiful smile that lit up her eyes. Don felt something clench in his chest when she smiled at him.

"Donnie, honey, it's so good to see you."

He crossed the office quickly and enfolded his mother in a warm embrace.

"It's good to see you too, Ma." He kissed her cheek.

She smiled up at him. "You're looking good, sweetie. Angie's taking good care of you."

_Well, I guess that answers the question of whether they've heard about her..._ Hearing his mother say his beloved's name, with a smile on her lips and love in her eyes was too much. He struggled with the emotional tide that suddenly hit him, and failed to hold it back. His eyes welled up.

"Jesus... Ma..."

"Oh, honey, no, don't cry. It's ok. I can't wait to meet her."

"You don't disapprove?"

"Of you? No. I disapprove of your father ranting on and on about how you've tarnished your badge by shackin' up with a jailbird..."

"Oh, jesus!" This was what Don had feared; that his Pop was off his track over Angie. In that moment, he felt like he was being stretched on a rack, torn apart by conflicting loyalties. On one side, the feeling of obligation to the parents who raised him, to whom he owed his life, and on the other, his commitment to the woman who'd captured his heart and his unwavering love.

"Is that why you're here? Because you're tired of listenin' to Pop?"

She put her hand on his cheek and wiped the tears away. "I wanted to see you. He didn't want to come with me. So here I am."

"I can't help it, Ma. I love her."

"I know you do, Donnie. And there's nothing more important than that."

"You don't think I'm tarnishin' my badge?"

"Why? Because you're brave enough to stand beside the woman you love, in spite of her past?"

"No, for lettin' myself fall in love with her in the first place."

She shook her head and smiled. "Like you'd have a choice. Let's talk about it later. Can you get out of here now?"

"Yeah. Lemme make a call." He did that, and they left the building together.

In his car on the way home, he asked her again if she was planning to stay with him while she was in town.

"I don't know, honey. Are you sure it wouldn't be awkward for you two?"

"Maybe. I hadn't really thought about it. But I don't want you to stay in a hotel. Unless you really want to, of course. I'd better call Angie and let her know I'm bringin' someone home with me." He punched in the home number and waited.

"Hey handsome."

"Hey baby," he said.

"You gonna be late?"

"No, I'm on my way home."

"Already? Why, what happened?"

"Nothin', everything's fine. But I wanted to let you know I'm bringin' someone with me."

"Who?"

"It's a surprise."

"Don, comeon, who's with you? Danny?"

"No, not Danny. You'll find out when I get there. I'll see you in a bit. Ok?"

"...ok. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

"You didn't tell her it was me," Barbara said.

"Nah, I don't wanna freak her out. I'm afraid she'll have a panic attack if she has to think about meetin' you until we get there."

"A panic attack?"

"Yeah, she had one when she had to go testify against the guy who shot her, and she didn't even have to go to court."

"Someone shot her? When did this happen?" _Oh, so Pop didn't tell her about that... he has to know about it..._

A couple a' months ago. A guy came into the market where she works and tried to rob them. He shot her in the chest. But she's fine."

"Good lord, Don!"

"Yeah, it was pretty scary. But her havin'a panic attack and passin' out on me scared the shit outta me too."

"She passed out on you? Yeah, that woulda scared me too!"

"I didn't know what was goin' on."

"And you think that meeting me will freak her out that bad?"

"Angie's a very emotional woman. And she's still workin' through the ex-con thing. The fact that I'm a cop is a very big deal, as you can imagine."

"And your father's a cop. Yeah, I get it."

"She worries about how her past affects me."

"Well, how has it affected you?"

"I've had some challenges with it."

"But not enough to make you change your mind about her."

"Not even close. I can't imagine bein' without her. I've never loved anyone this much. I'm in it for the long haul, for better or worse, as they say." He looked at his mother and she smiled at him.

"Well, I'll try not to scare her too much."

Don flashed a wry smile. "Jesus."

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Don opened the door to the apartment and stepped aside to let his mother in. He followed her in and closed the door.

"Angie? You in the office?"

"Yeah, hang on a sec..." She came out of the bedroom and approached them, just the tiniest hint of a frown on her face. Don could tell she was wondering who this woman was, and why she was with her boyfriend. _Boy is she in for a shock... I wish I knew how to soften this, but better to just get it out, I guess..._

"Angie, this is Barbara. Barbara, meet Angie."

"Hi Angie."

Barbara smiled at Angie, and Angie smiled back, tentatively. "Hi," she said. Don wondered if Angie could see any family resemblance. Although his hair was darker and his skin unfreckled, there were similarities. He had his mother's eyes and her bone structure. Her smile was similar to his as well.

He put his arm around Angie's shoulders and look down at her. He spoke softly, looking her in the eyes.

"Baby, this is my mom."

Don winced inwardly as he watched the color drain from Angie's face and saw a look of apprehension in her eyes.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, sweetie." Barbara held her arms out, and Angie looked up at Don. He nodded at her and smiled. Angie stepped into Barbara's embrace.

Don felt a surge of emotion flood through him. He'd been dreading the meeting between Angie and his parents. And although Pop was not here and his disapproval was yet to be faced, this introduction was better than he ever imagined it could be. He'd thought his mother would share his father's disapproval, even if she'd be more tolerant. But this? This was beyond his wildest hope. He felt almost dizzy with relief and gratitude. He wasn't particularly religious, but he found himself silently thanking God that the two women were off to a good start.

Barbara lifted Angie's chin and looked at her. "You're so pretty..."

"Isn't she beautiful, Ma?"

"She's gorgeous." She smiled at Angie, and the younger woman began to cry. Barbara looked at Don.

"What'd I tell ya?" He stepped in and turned the hug into a three-way. "S'ok baby. Relax."

Angie sniffed, swallowed, and then smiled weakly. "Now I know why you didn't wanna tell me who was with you." They all separated, and Angie took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

"Welcome to our home, Barbara. Would you like some iced tea?"

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Don took his two ladies out to dinner at their favorite italian restaurant. They had a bottle of wine with the meal, which helped everyone relax. Don enjoyed watching Angie and his mom get to know each other. He wanted to talk to his mother about what was going on between her and his father, but that could wait till later. Right now he was thrilled to have his mom with him, and relieved that she apparently had accepted Angie and wasn't disappointed in him. He'd been on such a rollercoaster of emotions and conficting loyalties lately, with his relationship with Angie and the whole mess with Dean Truby, that this bit of a respite was like a huge weight lifted off him.

"So what do you do for a living, Angie?"

"I work at Marilyn's market part time. And I'm also a website designer. I just got my first custom job." They told Barbara how Don had come home and found Angie crying because she'd gotten three orders for websites. They told her about Marilyn, and her work with at-risk young people.

"You'd love Marilyn," Angie said. "She's a wonderful lady."

"I'd love to meet her. And it's funny that you say she works with at-risk young people."

"Why's that, Ma?"

"Well, I know of someone who could have used someone like her, once upon a time."

They both just stared at her.

Barbara laughed. "You two are so funny, staring at me like that."

"I get the feelin' I'm about ta find out some family secret," Don said.

"Yep. Are you ready for this? When I was sixteen, I was arrested twice for shoplifting."

Don couldn't believe what he'd just heard. _Did my mother just say she'd been arrested? TWICE? Oh fuck..._

"Ma, are you serious? You got arrested?"

"Yes, I did. I was only sixteen. I got in with a bad crowd for awhile. Lots of young people do. Don't they, Angie?"

"Uh-huh..." Angie looked at Don, then looked at Barbara. "You never told your kids?"

"I never even told their father."

Don was in shock. "Pop doesn't know? You gotta be kiddin' me!"

"Angie, If you'd met Don under different circumstances, would you have told him about your past?"

"I probably wouldn't have. I'd have been afraid he'd dump me if he found out I was an ex-con."

Barbara nodded. "That's exactly how I felt. I was madly in love with your father, Donnie. I couldn't risk him breaking up with me if he found out I had a criminal record. So I didn't tell him."

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Angie looked at Don. She was trying to figure out what he was thinking, feeling. He was just sort of staring at nothing, and he'd gone a bit pale. She could tell this was a shock to him. _Oh, please, Don, don't take this badly, comeon, she's still your mom, and it turns out she has something in common with me, and you love me... _she looked at Barbara. Don's mother was looking at her son, studying him, with a soft smile on her lips that was so much like Don's smile that it was almost weird.

"Donnie?" she said softly, "You ok?"

Don picked up his half-full glass of wine and drained it. Then he got up from the table and walked away.

"Oh shit..." Angie said, and started to get up to follow him. Barbara put a hand on her arm.

"He'll be ok. Let's give him some space." Barbara took a deep breath and looked at Angie.

Angie shook her head. "So you've been carrying this secret around all these years..."

"Uh-huh. And when Donald started ranting about you, it was all I could do not to blurt it out to him. But I didn't. Sometimes I wish I'd just told him the truth. Maybe even from the beginning. But then my life might have turned out very differently." Barbara stared at the door that Don had just gone out, but it seemed to Angie as if she was looking back down the road of her past and remembering the twists and turns that had brought her to this point in her life. "If I hadn't married Donald, then I wouldn't have had Don or Kayla, and I can't imagine my life without them."

Angie knew that Kayla was Don's younger sister, who was currently living in Ireland with her husband and 2 children of her own.

"I'd better go talk to him," she said. "I just gave him quite a shock, poor boy."

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Don stood outside in the cool spring breeze and tried to calm down. He felt light-headed and his legs felt funny, like they couldn't quite hold him up.

_Jesus Christ. Talk about havin' your fuckin' foundation knocked out from under ya... _

He struggled to assimilate what his mother had just told him. At first it had felt like she'd been speaking in a foreign language. Like he had to wait for the Universal Translator to kick in. Then her words penetrated his haze of shock and the first thing he felt after that was denial. _No, no way, my mom's not an ex-con. No. That can't be right... but that's what she just said... oh shit..._

He rubbed his temples. It felt like there was a band around his head, and he figured it was adrenaline or something. He was thinking he really should go back to the table when he saw his mother approaching him.

She stood beside him on the patio, looking out at the city, the people walking along, traffic going by on the street, the noises of New York at night.

"Are you alright honey?" She didn't touch him; she just stood beside him. He took a deep breath and turned to face her.

"I know I dropped a bomb on you... oh shit, bad choice of words..." she grimaced and looked away from him.

"It's ok Ma. Yeah, it was a shock, but I'm glad you told me."

"You are? I was afraid you'd hate me, at least temporarily."

"Ma, I could never hate you!" He suddenly wanted very badly to hug her. And have her hug him. He reached out, and she stepped into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry," she said, and it sounded to him like she was about to cry.

"For what?"

"For you havin' to find out that I'm not who you thought I was."

"You're my mother. What you told me doesn't change that. It doesn't change who you are. And it doesn't make me love you any less."

"Oh, Donnie..." _she_ is _crying..._

"Ma, don't cry. It's ok." He kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled like strawberries. "Where's Angie?"

"I guess she's still inside. You know, they say that men marry their mothers... that didn't come out right..."

"I know what you mean. But that doesn't apply here, because I didn't know about your gettin' arrested till now. Let's go back inside. We can talk more later. We need to bring Angie into the loop, you know?"

"Oh, she's in the loop. You can be sure of that. Gettin' your father into the loop. That's gonna be the challenge."

"Huh. Yeah."

They went back inside and found Angie still at the table, waiting for them.

"I was about to come out after you two," she said.

Don bent and kissed her. "Let's go home. You ready ta get outta here Ma?"

"Yeah. I think we should pick up another bottle of wine on the way home."

"We've got one there already," Angie said.

"Good. Let's go open it," Barbara said.


	38. Chapter 38

When they got home, Don opened the bottle of wine and poured the ladies each a glass. He got a beer for himself. He flopped down on the sofa, and Angie curled up next to him. Barbara sat down in the side chair. She took off her Reeboks and put them under the coffee table, following Angie's example. She tucked her feet up under her and sat back against the overstuffed cushions, and took a sip of wine.

"I don't know whether to tell your father the truth or not," she said, looking into the deep red liquid in her glass.

"Well, why do you have to?" Don asked.

Because if I don't, then this crap with you two just goes on and on. But if I do, it could screw up my relationship with him. Your father can be a narrow-minded jerk at times, but I love him, and while I doubt this would break us up, it will cause some problems."

"But even if you told him about your past, it wouldn't change how he felt about me," Angie said.

"Probably not. Shit, it could make things worse. But I feel bad that I've lived a lie with him all these years."

"Ma, you were sixteen. And it's not like you killed someone, or even committed armed robbery."

"No, I did that," Angie said, shaking her head.

Don tightened his arm around her. "Stop it. I wasn't talkin' about you. Let's not forget that you didn't use the gun; you just got rid of it for Jason."

"Well, that's true."

Barbara went on. "It's been easy to just leave it unsaid all this time, you know? But then you two got together and it sort of brought it all back into focus for me. And then I had to listen to your father rant about how you'd tarnished your badge by shackin' up with a jailbird, and it got to where it was like fingernails on a chalkboard. I couldn't stand to hear it anymore. That's why I left and came to visit you. And that's not gonna stop once I'm back home."

Don felt Angie tense up. He looked at her. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Angie? What is it baby?"

"Are you sure you wouldn't be better off without me?" she said, her voice rising with each word. By the time she finished the question the tears were flowing. _Jesus... fuck... _

"No, I would not be better off without you! Stop askin' me that!"

"Angie, honey, none of this is your fault. I can tell you that from what I've seen so far, Donnie would not be better off without you. This is about me not bein' honest with my husband, not about your criminal record."

"But, if I didn't have a record, none of this would matter!"

"But the secret would still be there, the lie would still be there. If it hadn't been you who forced me to look at it, it would've been somethin' else. It's not your fault."

Angie wasn't hearing her. "Why do I have to be the one who fucks up everyone's life! I just wanna be happy, I wanna leave my past behind me but it just keeps coming back, it'll never go away!"

Don began to be alarmed by Angie's outburst. _Shit, she's gettin' hysterical, whaddo I do? _

His mother's voice cut through the haze of fear he was feeling.

"Angie, listen to me. Angie! Listen to me!" She got the younger woman's attention. Angie was still sobbing, but she looked at Barbara and Don could tell she was hearing her this time.

"What you did in your past is just that. Your past. Unlike me, you've come clean about it..."

"But..."

"No, no buts. You've come clean. You've done your time. Don knew when he met you that you'd committed a crime, and he knew it when he started dating you. You made the commitment to get yourself straight and you did. You have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to feel guilty about. You and Donnie fell in love because you were meant to. Period. Just like Don's father and me. Donald's not gonna leave me because I got arrested for shoplifting when I was a teenager. What's gonna hurt him is that I didn't tell him about it. But he'll understand that it was because I didn't want to lose him. It'll cause some friction between us, but it won't break us up. And it has nothing to do with you."

"It does too, because my presence is the catalyst that's forcing you to deal with it one way or the other."

"Well then that's meant to be too." Barbara smiled at her. Angie buried her face against Don's shoulder and sobbed. Don looked pleadingly at his mother.

"Just let her cry," she said softly. "Let her get it out."

"Yeah. I do that alot with her." _And it still rips my heart out every time. _For a long time he'd dreaded having her fall apart like this, because he felt powerless to do anything to help. After awhile he'd realized that just holding her, supporting her, letting her get it out was exactly what she needed. But it still scared the hell out of him.

Barbara got up and went to sit on the other side of Angie, and joined Don in holding and comforting her. She stroked her back and spoke softly to her. Don remembered back to when she'd comforted him or his sister like this, after one of them fell off their bike or got in a fight with one of the neighborhood kids. It made him want to cry to realize how many years had gone by, how far away those childhood days were. Like a faded photograph, worn and cracked with age. Like the grey in his mother's hair, and the lines around her eyes. Signs of time gone by.

"She makes me miss Kayla," his mother said, and Don was startled to see tears welling up in her eyes.

"Jesus, Ma, don't you start cryin' too. I don't think I can handle two hysterical women at the same time."

"I'm not hysterical, and neither is she," she said, looking at Angie. The younger woman was starting to calm down. "You got kleenex, Donnie?"

"Yeah, it's in the office on the desk near the computer."

Barbara got up and went to retrieve it. She came back and sat on the sofa again, putting the box on the coffee table.

"Angie, honey? You gonna be ok?"

Angie sniffed loudly and nodded. She sat up and reached for the box of tissues. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

"I got your shirt all wet," she said to Don, and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Barbara laughed.

"I'm sorry I'm such a crybaby."

"Oh, don't apologize, Angie. This reminds me of my daughter Kayla, of how I used to comfort her, and Donnie, when they were little. I miss her so much."

"I miss her too, Ma. When was the last time you spoke to her?"

"I talked to her earlier this week. They're doing fine."

Don thought about Kayla. She'd married an historian who dabbled in archeaology, had two beautiful children with him and they'd all gone to Ireland to study old castles and crop circles. No heartrending problems there, aside from the fact that she was far away from home. _The good one goes away; the pain-in-the-ass stays home..._

What he was thinking, feeling, must have shown on his face. _Either that or Ma can read my mind... _she put her hand on his cheek.

"I've missed you too, Donnie. I've missed you so much. And I love you, more than you know."

"I love you too Ma."

Angie got up and went into the bathroom.

Barbara went on. "I think that's why this thing has me so stirred up. I miss Kayla so much. I know she's happy and I do get to talk to her and see pictures, but it's not the same as seeing her in person. And now I'm worried that I won't be able to see you either, and that would just kill me Donnie. I went almost a year without seeing you, and it's been really hard for me. Remember she left for Ireland right after you went back to work."

Don did remember. He'd seen both his parents several times after the bombing, not only while he was in the hospital but during his recovery as well. He'd gone and stayed at their home in the suburbs. He'd seen Kayla too, since she'd postponed leaving the country until she knew he was ok.

But after he'd met Angie, he hadn't been back to visit, and the phone calls had become less frequent. He could tell himself that he'd just been busy, but he knew that was a lie. He was afraid to face his father, and his mother too, for that matter. _Jesus, what a coward I am. Leavin' Ma alone without either of her kids just because I'm scared to face Pop?_

"I'm so sorry Ma. I shouldna left you like that. It was selfish and cowardly." He hated himself in that moment. _Yeah, I have the courage to stand beside my woman, but if I can't stand before my father in her defense... _

"I need to go talk to Pop. Get this thing out in the open."

"You do, but it won't be easy."

"Why do you think I've put it off for so long? The thing is that sometimes I still ask myself what the hell I'm doin' with a convicted felon. And the only thing that makes sense is that to me, love is more important than anything. But not everyone agrees with me on that. It took a long time for me to get the guys on the force to stop ridin' me about Angie. And then the whole mess with Dean Truby happened, and that just made it worse. There was a lotta talkin' goin' on behind my back. I think they're still talkin', but not as much as before." Don leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling.

"I guess I should thank Pop, because if it wasn't for him it probably would've been a lot worse. They respect me because I'm his son. Most of the time I hate that, but when it comes to Angie, it helps make things easier. And that makes me feel like shit because it means that I'm usin' him to suit my needs."

Angie came back into the living room, and sat back down on the sofa between mother and son. Don pulled her against him and kissed her cheek.

"You feelin' better?"

"Yeah, I think so. My head hurts."

"Did you take somethin' for it?"

"Uh-huh."

"Maybe we should all get some sleep," Barbara said. "You got a pillow and a blanket for me?"

"Yeah," Don said. "You gonna be ok out here?"

"I'll be fine. You kids go on to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

csinycsinycsiny

Don held Angie close against him, spooning her. He could see the curve of her shoulder in the dim glow of the night light, and he could smell the mixture of vanilla and bay rum, faint but familiar in the room. The sheets were crisp and smooth, and she was warm and soft against him. He felt himself wishing he could pull her even closer, so close that they would merge together. He thought about the things that had happened this day. Surprise visits, revelations, realizations. A rollercoaster of emotions. Things that had been muddy and blurred were suddenly clear. And things that had seemed black and white were now varying shades of grey. He felt like he'd been pulled apart and reassembled several times, each time becoming just slightly different from what he was before. But at the core of his being, he was still Don Flack, NYPD homicide detective, dedicated to upholding the law and catching the bad guy, but he was also Don Flack, the man who was head-over-heels in love with Angie Watson, this amazing woman who just happened to be an ex-con. And although the two seemed complete opposites of each other, they were the same. And he knew that they could live in harmony.


	39. Chapter 39

Angie sat on the edge of the bed in the pink light of the bedroom. She could hear the rattle and slurp of the coffee maker, and she could smell the aroma of the brew mingled with Don's bay rum after shave. She felt like she should be in the kitchen making breakfast, but he told her he didn't want to eat until after the raid was over.

She'd known about this for the past two weeks, and she'd worked hard to accept it, deal with it, and let Don go do it without any protests or hysterics. But she was, quite frankly, terrified. This raid on a warehouse, to confiscate drugs and arrest the traffickers, was a very big, very dangerous operation, and Don was leading it. She thought back to her reaction when he first told her about the raid.

"You have got to be kidding me. I thought you were a homicide detective. What are you doing leading a drug raid?"

"Angie. What difference does that make? I'm doin' my job."

"It makes a difference, Don, because this is a lot more dangerous than your usual work. For fuck's sake, you're going into a warehouse full of drug runners!" Her voice broke, and tears started to flow. "There's gonna be guns all over the place. There won't be enough Kevlar in the universe to protect you from that." She was pacing across the living room, wishing that she could run away from the horrifying images in her mind.

"Angie, please, don't cry. Look, I'm gonna have a whole swat team with me. We've planned this thing for weeks, and we know what we're doin'."

"There's no way you can plan for everything. I can't believe you're doing this. Why you?"

"I'm good at it, that's why. I can do more than homicide. That's just what I do most often. I'm fully trained and capable of doin' this work."

"But this work is much more likely to get you killed." She knew there was no way she could change what he was going to do, no way she could stop him. She was frustrated, angry and terrified. She knew he hated it when she cried like this, but she couldn't help it. She felt her control slip away, and then she was sobbing, and he was holding her, and a part of her wanted to punch him, slap him, knock the shit out of him, but a bigger part just wanted to hold him, hold him so close, so tight, that he couldn't get away. She knew she couldn't do either of these things, so she just cried, feeling helpless, powerless, and desperately afraid of losing him. _Great. Here I am, a complete basket case, crying hysterically when I should be holding strong for him. Shit, I'm fucking useless..._

"I'm sorry Don. You don't need this, me freaking out on you. God dammit! I keep saying I can handle it, handle you being a cop but every time you do something like this I freak. What can I do, Don? How can I numb myself so that it doesn't scare me so much, so that I don't care so much? I can't keep putting you through this..."

"Whoa, wait a minute. Stop. You can't keep putting me through this? I'm the one putting you through hell, not the other way around. And I wouldn't want you to be numb, not feel it, just to make me feel better. No. No." He held her close, caressing her, rubbing her back gently. She could feel him breathe into her hair.

"Remember what you told me the time I was in that standoff, and you saw me on TV? You said that love is a combination of joy and pain, happiness and fear. Remember?"

She nodded silently. He went on. "You told me that the only way to deal with the fear of losing a loved one was to make the most of every moment and never take the other for granted. We've done that, haven't we?"

"Yes, we have. But sometimes when I go off on you, I feel like I'm not doing my part. But it's because I love you so much that I get so scared. I don't know why you put up with me."

"I put up with you because I love you, Angie. You have my heart. Don't you know that? And you put up with me because you love me. That's what keeps me going, and motivates me to be just that much more careful. I wanna make it home to you. When I'm out there doin' my job, I can't dwell on you because it would distract me, but before I go I think of you, and it's the light you shine on my life that guides me through. Baby, I could get killed drivin' to work. You could get killed on the bus. We can't dwell on stuff like that. All we can do is love each other with our whole hearts, and make the most of every minute. We won't always; there'll be times when we'll blow it, but we can just keep tryin'. That way there won't be any regrets."

"You know, I've heard you refer to yourself as 'just a dumb cop', but you are unbelievably wise."

"Yeah but it was you who said all this first. I'm just tryin' to remind you of it."

"Hey, you ok?" Don asked as he came into the bedroom. He handed her a steaming mug.

"This isn't coffee. What is it?"

"It's some of that tea Marilyn gave us. You don't need coffee. You're nervous enough as it is."

"And you're not?"

"I am, but you know me and coffee."

"Yeah, you can't have one without the other."

He chuckled softly. "Seriously, are you alright?" He sat down beside her. He was dressed, not in his usual suit and tie, but rather in a black long sleeved thermal shirt and jeans. He put his hand on her back. She put the tea on the nightstand and climbed onto his lap, sinking into his embrace.

"I'm ok. I'm just scared, that's all. "

"I know." He kissed her softly. "It's gonna be ok."

She put her hand on his chest. "Take me along with you, hold me in here."

"You know I will." He looked at the clock on the nightstand. "Shit, I gotta go."

She got up from his lap, and walked him to the door. He pulled her into his arms. She tried hard not to cry.

"I know it's askin' alot, but go back to bed and try to get some more sleep."

"That is asking alot."

"Well, visualize me gettin' through this in one piece, and us makin' mad passionate love tonight. Is that a little easier?"

"A little."

"Put one of those white light force field things around me, huh?"

"I already did that."

"Good. I'll call you as soon as I can. I promise." He kissed her deeply, and she felt the love he put behind it. She tried to send it back.

"Go on, or I won't let you." She looked him in the eyes. "I love you."

He nodded. "I love you. See ya later." He went out the door.

The door closed behind him and she turned with her back to it and leaned against it. She breathed in his scent, still lingering in the room. _Coffee and bay rum; that's Don._

Now that he was gone, she let down her guard and started to cry. _Go back to bed? Are you kidding me? Wait, maybe its not a bad idea. _She went into the bedroom. She thought for a moment and then opened the window to let the chilly morning air in. She finished the tea he'd made for her, smiling at his thoughtfullness in doing it, even in the midst of his mental preparations for the job he was about to do. Then she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her. The room was cold enough to make it cozy under the sheets and comforter. She lay on her side and hugged Don's pillow, visualizing him in her arms, safe and unhurt. She steadied her breathing, and began to weave a net of love and protection around him, pouring all her strength and support into it, knowing that he would return to her. She began to relax, and the feelings of fear and anxiety receded a bit. They were still there, like hungry beasts outside the door, waiting for a chance to gain entry, but she managed to hold them at bay, and retreated further into her refuge of calm, within the net she'd woven. _Too bad I can't do this before I flip out instead of after... I'll have to work on that..._

_  
_csinycsinycsiny

She floated restlessly in a dream in which she could see Don but couldn't approach him. She tried to speak but no words would come. Then she heard his voice...

"Angie? Baby, wake up."

_He's here? Wait, no, he's in Brooklyn... _she opened her eyes. He was sitting on the bed, his hand on her cheek. He smiled at her.

"Oh god!" She sat up and threw her arms around him and he caught her and held her. He smelled strange, like smoke. Something had burned during the raid. _Maybe it's gun powder... _

She found his lips and kissed him, and she felt something, something not right with him. She pulled back and looked at him. There was a shadow of something lurking beneath the clear blue of his eyes. It scared her.

"Something's wrong. What happened?"

He looked away from her and shook his head slightly.

"Don? Tell me."

He took a deep breath. "I had to shoot a guy, Angie. I killed him."

The words hit her like a punch in the gut. She could only imagine how he was feeling. She couldn't think of anything to say, so she just held him close, and felt him tighten his arms around her.

"I didn't have a choice. The guy wouldn't put his gun down, and then he actually started to pull the trigger. I had to shoot him, or he would've killed me."

"Oh my God, Don." She was horrified. _How awful for him, to have to kill someone... _"Are you ok? I mean, you said you didn't have a choice, right?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. I mean, you always go into a situation like that prepared for the worst, but you hope you don't have to kill someone to get the job done."

"Did you get the job done?"

"Oh yeah, we sure did. We seized 900 kilos of coke. It was unbelievable. That's a street value of a hundred million dollars. To be honest, I'm amazed only one person got killed, and only one officer was hit, but he's gonna be ok."

"What burned? You smell like smoke."

"A tank of some kinda gas blew. You probably smell the gunpowder too. There were bullets flyin' everywhere."

"But you're here. You're safe. You have no idea how much of a relief that is."

"Yeah, I do. Hey, I gotta take a shower, get the stink of stress and adrenaline off me. Wanna join me?"

She smiled and nodded. "Of course."

The water felt wonderful. He'd been so tense, so keyed up, that to let go and relax was a huge relief. Angie scrubbed his back and washed his hair for him. He did the same for her. He had a few hours to come home, shower, change and regroup. He intended to make the most of it. He was grateful that he'd come through the raid unhurt, at least physically. He'd have a mandatory session with the department counselor about the guy he'd had to kill, and he was oddly glad of that. He needed to come to grips with it. But for now he was enjoying being with Angie, naked in the shower.

He worked conditioner into her hair, running his fingers through it, easing out the tangles, and then turned her so she could rinse it. He watched her, standing under the water, her eyes closed, running her hands through her hair, and he realized he was getting aroused. At first he wondered how the hell he could want sex after what he'd just gone through, but he figured it was just part of his letting go process.

Angie obviously noticed he had a hard-on, because the next thing he knew she was fondling him with one hand, and with the other pulling him down for a kiss. Their lips met and he felt a jolt of pure desire shoot through him. He gasped. She continued to touch him; a "hand job", she called it. She was jerking him off, and he was shocked at how good it felt in that moment. She kept kissing him, and when she pushed her tongue into his mouth it almost made his knees buckle. He put a hand out and braced himself against the wall of the shower. He felt her body push against him, her hand between them, picking up the pace and tightening her grip...

He came suddenly, and it was so intense that it almost scared him. Her tongue was still in his mouth, and that was incredibly erotic. He moaned incoherently, and she held him against her, loosening her grasp on him, slowing down, until she finally let go of him and pulled apart from his lips. He tried to catch his breath. He looked at her and she smiled at him. Something shifted inside him, and he pulled her into his arms. The next thing he knew, he was crying, holding her and crying. He realized dimly that it was a reversal of their usual roles. This time she was letting him cry it out. He hoped he wasn't scaring her with his emotional meltdown.

As strange as it seemed to him, it felt good to let himself cry. He'd been holding his emotions and thoughts laced up tight in his armor of discipline, allowing himself to think only of the job at hand. The buildup to the moment of action and then the raid and it's aftermath had left him spent, more than he thought it would. _It wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't had to kill someone... don't go there, Flack. You didn't have a choice. You did what you had to do. _

"Am I scarin' you?"

"Why? Because you're crying? I'd be more scared if you didn't cry. Hey, we better finish up, the water's starting to get cold."

"Jesus, I feel exhausted all of a sudden."

"Do you have time for a nap before you go back to work?"

"Yeah. But only if you join me."

"Like you could keep me away from you."

He smiled.

_Wow, I guess he was tired. He's out like a light._ Don had conked out almost the second his head hit the pillow. Angie lay on her side facing him. She wasn't sleepy, so she took the opportunity to just look at him. He was lying on his back as he often did when he slept._ I don't know how he can do that._ _I can't sleep on my back. God he's beautiful. _He looked peaceful for the first time that day. She wished she could just let him sleep, but he'd made her promise to wake him up in an hour. He had to go back to work to fill out reports and tie up loose ends. He'd already done a press release. She planned to clean the apartment while he was at work.

She looked at the clock. It was time to wake him. She put her hand on his chest and started to fiddle with his chest hair. She wanted to wake him gently, not just shake him. She kissed his shoulder, and then his cheek. He stirred, took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

"Time to get up?"

"Yeah. You feel better?"

"Yeah." He turned on his side and kissed her. "Lay on your back," he said. She did as he asked, wondering what he had in mind. She soon found out.

"Time to repay you for the hand job," he said with a smile. He slipped his hand between her legs and she opened them for him. His long, nimble fingers tickled her, sweeping up and down her inner thighs, and then finding her perfect spot. She'd taught him how to touch her, shown him what to do to get her off with his fingers. He'd been happy to let her teach him. In fact, he'd asked her. She'd been surprised by that, since Jason had never bothered to ask her what she wanted. Their sex life had been less than satisfying, to say the least. She'd usually ended up taking care of herself after he'd passed out.

She never had to do that with Don. He was a courteous and attentive lover. He always made sure she was satisfied. _Oh, man, he's making me feel good right now..._

"Oh, Don, that feels so good," she whispered.

"You didn't think I'd leave without takin' care 'a you, did you?"

"No, you're too much of a gentleman... oh, Don, don't stop..."

"I got the right spot?"

"Oh, god yes, right on..." She turned to look at him. He was smiling that soft, beautiful smile... _oh... ok, that's it, I'm gonna come... _"Don..."

"I love you Angie."

Four little words sent her over the edge. Waves of incredible pleasure shuddered through her from one perfect spot where his finger made perfect little circles. She stifled a scream of ecstacy. She looked at him. His smile had broadened into a grin. She couldn't speak; she was gasping, still in the midst of her orgasm. Finally she felt the waves begin to recede. Before she came down all the way she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her. He looked at her questioningly.

"Oh come on, you can't tell me you don't want me right now. You've got time."

He laughed out loud and moved on top of her. "You are one horny girl!"

"Oh, shut up and fuck me..."

He was already in.


	40. Chapter 40

_What a fucked up day..._ Don closed and locked the door behind him, and went in search of Angie. He found her in the office at the computer.

"You workin'?" he asked as he pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

"I just quit for the day. I was just doing a little surfing. I finished cleaning earlier this afternoon." She turned her head, and he thought she was going to kiss him, but then she stopped short.

"What's wrong?" He could see the concern in her eyes. _Shit, she can see it on my face, of course..._

"Oh shit, Angie, the day got worse."

"What happened?"

"I'm surprised you haven't heard."

"I'm not allowed to watch the news, remember?"

"I didn't think you really held to that rule."

"Well I do. Now tell me, what happened?"

He told her the whole story, including the explosion at the lab and Danny's hand getting crushed. The only thing he left out was his offer to trade himself for the hostages. _She doesn't need to know that. Nothin' came of it._

"They crushed his fingers? Oh my god Don! Have you seen him since it happened?"

"Yeah, I went and visited him in the hospital before I came home."

"How is he? Is he gonna be ok?"

"He's got the hand injury, some cracked ribs, a concussion, cuts and bruises. He was on pain meds when I got there so he was out of it for the most part."

"Will his hand heal ok?"

"He may have some nerve damage but they won't know for sure till after the bones heal."

"Oh, jesus god. How horrible. What about Adam, is he ok?"

"Physically he's better than Danny, but they're worried about PTSD with him. Poor guy. He's a lab geek. He's not equipped to deal with being held hostage. Shit, they tortured him. I haven't seen him but I'm gonna check up on him tomorrow. I'm off for the next two days, and then I'll sit at my desk for at least a week."

"Is that what they mean by administrative leave?"

"Yeah. Desk duty. That's ok. There's a lot of paper work to be done on this one."

Now she reached out and put her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all that."

"Well, I didn't have to go through as much as everyone else did."

"I know, but to know that your best friend was in that warehouse getting hurt by those guys..."

"I didn't know how bad they were hurt until it was over. I heard the EMTs sayin' something about Danny's hand, and how Adam was burned but I didn't find out the rest till later. I just keep tellin' myself it could have been worse." He shook his head and stood up. "I gotta take a shower, get the stink off me, again."

He got up and went into the bedroom. He started to undress and then noticed that Angie hadn't followed him. He got the rest of his clothes off and then went to the door of the office.

"You comin'?"

She looked at him. She looked hurt. "I wasn't sure you wanted me to."

"Of course I want you to."

"Well, you didn't ask me like you usually do."

"I'm just upset and distracted. Of course I want you with me."

She smiled. "Ok," she said, and followed him back to the bedroom.

After their shower, she made him lie down and gave him a backrub. Her hands were surprisingly strong as she kneaded the muscles in his neck and shoulders, and he felt himself start to relax. Then she used her elbows to bore into his back.

"Ow! That hurts, Angie!"

"I know. Breathe into it. It hurts now but it'll feel better after. This really loosens up the knots."

He breathed. "Oh, fuck, that hurts..."

"Don't be a baby." She let up. "Ok, one more time. Breathe into it."

He breathed. It hurt so bad it made him groan with pain. But she was right. Once she stopped, he noticed that his shoulders were much looser and didn't ache so much.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"If you think that hurts, you should feel it on the tops of your shoulders while you're sitting up."

"You wanna do it? I'll let you."

"Ok, sit on the floor with your back against the bed."

He did as she asked. She sat on the bed with her legs on either side of him and then bent over and pushed her elbows into his shoulders. He yelled.

"Breathe, Don," she said. He breathed. _Oh jesus fucking christ that hurts!_

She let up. "Ok, how does it feel now?"

He rolled his head and lifted and dropped his shoulders. "That's amazing. It really feels better. But are you sure it isn't just because it hurts so much when you're doin' it?"

"Maybe. But it does help melt those knots." He got up from the floor and sat on the bed. He took a deep breath and blew it out through his mouth.

"Is there anything to eat? I'm starvin'."

"That's a good sign. I've got stuff for sandwiches. Come on, let's go fix some supper."

They filled up on sandwiches, potato chips and beer. Angie was relieved to hear that Don was hungry, and happy to watch him tear through the sandwiches she made for him. He washed them down with a beer, and then got another. She wondered if he was planning to get drunk, and then decided that if he wanted to, then she wasn't going to protest. She sipped at her beer, not wanting to get more than a very light buzz. She wanted to be alert in case he needed her in some way.

After dinner, she cleaned up the kitchen while Don turned on the TV.

"You want another beer Don?"

"Yeah, I'll take another one."

She joined him on the sofa. "Are you planning to get drunk? Not that I mind. If you want to you've certainly earned it."

"Nah, this'll probably be my last one."

"I'm gonna go put on my jammies," she said.

"Ok."

They cuddled together and watched TV until they were both falling asleep, and then went to bed.

"Are you sure you'll be ok while I got to work?" Angie wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him.

Don smiled at her. "I'll be fine. I'm gonna go see Danny, find out what time he's getting released. If Linds is workin' he may need a ride home. I wanna check on Adam too. I think he mighta gone to his girlfriend's place. Someone'll know how I can get ahold of him. I just wanna follow up, make sure he's ok too."

"Well call me later and let me know how it's going."

"Maybe I'll stop by on your lunch break." He cupped the back of her head and then ran his hand down over her hair. He bent and kissed her gently.

She smiled up at him. "That'd be nice."

"Ok, well we better get movin' if we're gonna get you to work on time."

He dropped her off at the market, and she promised to let him know what time she was going to lunch. He took off for the hospital. He knew he'd be getting there early for visiting hours but not by much. He'd grab a cup of coffee and take a few minutes to collect his thoughts before he went to see Danny.

When he walked into his friend's room, Lindsay was there.

"Hey Linds, how ya doin'?"

"I've been better," she said.

"Stop it Montana. Stop blamin' yourself for me gettin' hurt." Danny was somewhat more coherent this morning. But all his bruises were blossoming and he looked worse than he did last night. Don winced.

"Jesus Danny, you look like shit."

"Well thanks Flack. Fuck you too."

Lindsay giggled. _That's good. I don't wanna see her fall apart. Though I don't think she would. Not like Angie, anyway. _He couldn't imagine Lindsay having a panic attack.

"So are they cuttin' you loose today?"

"Yeah, this afternoon."

"You gonna pick him up Lindsay?"

"I can't, I have to work."

"I'll come back and get 'im. You know what time?"

Danny shook his head, carefully. "Nah, I'm not sure."

"Ok, I'll find out, and I'll pick you up and getcha home."

"Thanks Pal."

"You got it."

"Thanks Don," Lindsay said.

"Not a problem. Hey, do you guys know how I can get ahold of Adam? I just wanna check on him, make sure he's ok."

"Yeah, I can give you his number. You got somethin' to write it down on?"

Don got the number, hung out with Danny and Lindsay for a bit longer, and then took off for the lobby. He punched in the number that Danny had given him and waited. A woman answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Don Flack. Is this Jessica?"

"Yeah. Hi Don."

"Hi. I'm callin' to check on Adam. Is he there?"

"He's asleep right now."

"Oh, ok. So how is he?"

"He's alright. He's traumatized, though, more than he'll admit."

"I'm not surprised. He's gonna need some counsellin'."

"He's planning to set that up later today."

"Good, that's good. Listen, I wanna give him my cell number so he can call me if he needs anything."

"Ok, lemme grab a pen."

He gave her his number and she thanked him, promising to let Adam know he'd called.

He was on his way back to his car when his phone rang. He looked at the display.

"Hey baby, what's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know that my lunch is at noon today."

"Want me to come by?"

"Of course. Marilyn says she'll make lunch for us."

"I can't pass that up. I'll see you at noon."

He called the hospital and found out that Danny was being released at 2pm. _Good. Plenty of time to have lunch and get back to the hospital in time to pick him up. _


	41. Chapter 41

Don was having lunch with Angie and Marilyn when his phone rang.

"Hey pal, what's up?"

"I just remembered I don't have anything to wear home," Danny said.

"Ok, I'll bring you some clothes. You still out at two?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see you then."

"Don't be late. I want outta this fuckin' place."

"I'll bet you do. I'll do my best to get there on time."

He snapped the phone shut. The women were both looking at him.

"You won't have time to go to his place," Angie said.

"That's ok. He's got stuff at our place."

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Danny still had a few sets of clothes in Don's side of the dresser, left over from their single guy slumber party days. Don wondered vaguely what Lindsay would think if she found the stuff that he kept at Danny's.

"Once I get him settled I'll see if he needs anything, and go get it for him if he does. Lindsay's workin' all day, so she can't do it."

"You're a good friend, honey," Marilyn said.

"Hey, he's been there for me many times. There's no way I wouldn't be there for him."

He looked at Angie. There was something in the way she was looking at him... he felt himself blushing. _Great, get all embarrassed. Jesus, Flack._

"Have you ever noticed how much a blush shows up on a fair-skinned person?" Marilyn asked Angie.

"Yeah, I have."

"Would you two stop it?" Don said. The women both laughed.

Before he left the market, Angie pulled him into the extra bedroom.

"Why'd you blush like that?"

"It was the way you were lookin' at me."

"How was I looking at you?"

"Like you adore me."

"I do adore you. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothin'. It just caught me off guard, is all."

"Well, I really didn't mean to embarrass you. I just love your friendship with Danny, that's all."

"Speakin' of Danny, I better get movin'. He told me not to be late."

"He wants out of there. I know just how he feels." She hugged him. "Go take care of your friend. I'll see you tonight."

"I love you," he said, and then kissed her.

"I love you too. Now move it."

"Did you bring me some clothes?"

csinycsinycsiny

"Yes, Danny, you don't have to go home naked. Here." Don handed a bundle to his friend. Danny unrolled it and held up the pair of sweatpants he'd brought.

"These are yours, Don."

"Are they? Oh, I guess they are. Well, better you wearin' my clothes than me tryin'a wear yours, huh?"

"Heh, yeah. Oh, you thought of everything." Don had brought socks and underwear as well.

"I wasn't sure what you'd need so I figured I'd bring it all. But you didn't leave any shoes at my place. Your boots won't go with the pants, but you can just leave 'em off. You're not goin' anywhere except to the car and then up to your apartment."

Don helped Danny get dressed. Danny couldn't bend over to put his socks on, so Don did it for him.

"Well this is embarrassing," Danny said. Don looked up at his friend's red face.

"Why? It's not like I'm wipin' your ass."

"Let's hope you don't have to do that for me."

"Why do you think I brought you sweats instead of jeans? I wasn't sure you could undo a zipper with that hand."

"Oh, man, I didn't think of that. It's been easy just wearin' a hospital gown. Good thing I'm right-handed."

Don couldn't help but laugh at that. "Ok, socks are on. Anything else? Where's your wallet and your other clothes?"

"I told 'em to toss the clothes, but my wallet's in that drawer. I think my necklaces are there too."

Don retrieved Danny's items from the drawer and handed them to him. Danny set the wallet on the bed beside him, and put his necklaces back on.

The orderly arrived with a wheelchair for Danny to ride out in, and to Don's surprise, his friend didn't complain about having to use it. He looked at Danny's face. Under the bruises and cuts, he could see that the man was tired and in pain. _The sooner I can get him home and into bed, the better._

"Do we need to pick up prescriptions? Shit, I shoulda thoughta that before. Dammit!"

"Why? Whaddayou mean?"

"Well, now you're gonna have to sit around while we wait for them. Fuck."

"Bring the car around and I'll take a nap while you wait."

"Ok, yeah, that'll work."

Don got Danny into the car and parked it, then went back to the pharmacy. He was told it would be about a ten minute wait, so he went and got a cup of coffee from the cafeteria. _When all else fails, get coffee._ He picked up a bottle of water for Danny as well. He got Danny's meds and headed back to the car. When he looked through the windows he saw that Danny had put the seat back a bit and was sitting with his eyes closed. He opened them as Don got into the car.

"You ok pal?"

"I'm thirsty."

"Well, I just happen to have somethin' to help with that." He opened the bottle of water and handed it to his friend. "I remember how dry my throat was when I first got out of the hospital. I couldn't get enough water."

"Oh, thanks Don." Danny drank about half the water in one long pull. He took a deep breath and let it out.

"I feel like shit."

"Just hang in there, you'll be home soon."

Don managed to get Danny out of the car, into the elevator and up to his apartment, and took him straight to the bedroom. He lowered his friend onto the bed and then looked around.

"Dan?"

"What."

"Why are there two pillows and a blanket on your pool table?"

"Why do you think?"

"On the pool table? Get outta here!"

"Shaddup."

Don started to laugh, and kept laughing. _He and Lindsay finally got horizontal. 'Bout friggin' time._

"God dammit Don, quit laughin'!"

"On the fuckin' pool table! Oh, man that's great! Never even made it to the bed, huh?"

"Hey, she seduced me, not the other way around. Not that I had any will to resist. I think I've waited long enough."

"I hear that. I didn't think you two were ever gonna get there. I'm happy for ya."

Don pulled the pillows and blanket off the table and tossed them on the bed. He saw Danny try to reach for one of the pillows.

"You want that? Here, I'll get it." He helped Danny get comfortable and then pulled up a chair and sat down.

"You don't haveta stay here and babysit me, Flack."

"Maybe not, but I at least wanna make sure you're settled in and have what you need till Lindsay gets here. You did say she was gonna come stay here, right?"

"Yeah. I'm good, Don. I'm gonna go to sleep."

"Good idea. Can you think of anything you need right now, before I go?"

"I could use another bottle of water."

Don got up and got it for him. "You need to take a leak?"

"I don't need your help with that."

"Jesus Christ, Dan! I just want you to go before I leave. I don't want you to fall down or somethin'."

"Actually that's a good point. Ok, I'll go..." Don had to help him to his feet and escort him to the bathroom, then he backed out and left him alone. _Poor guy's not used to bein' an invalid. I remember how much I hated needin' so much help..._

Danny got back onto the bed, and Don made him take his meds before he left. He made sure the phone was in reach in case Danny needed to call someone.

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?"

"Fuck, Don, quit babyin' me!"

"Oh come on, Danny, don't snap at me for carin' about you."

Danny heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Don. I just feel like crap, and I hate bein' a fuckin' invalid. Please don't take it personally. You know I love you, and I appreciate your help and concern."

_He must be feelin' weak and vulnerable, to come out and tell me he loves me... _"I know. And I don't mean to hover over you like Florence Nightingale. I just wanna know that you're gonna be ok till Linds gets here. That's all."

"I'm good. If you'll leave me alone, I'll go to sleep."

"Ok, ok. I'll check in with you later." He headed for the door. Just before he went out, Danny spoke.

"Don?"

"Yeah buddy."

Seriously, thanks for everything."

"You got it pal. Have a nice nap."


	42. Chapter 42

The bedroom was bathed in candlelight. An early summer breeze flowed softly through the window. The room smelled of vanilla, bay rum and recent lovemaking. The sheets were askew, mostly off the bed.

"So whaddya you want for your birthday?" Don asked. Angie was snuggled against him, her head on his shoulder. He twined his fingers into her hair, and kissed her forehead gently.

"I don't know. Surprise me."

"Nah, you gotta tell me what you'd like."

"I hadn't really thought about it." She looked up at him.

"Well, do you want jewelry, clothes? Comeon, gimme some help here."

"Jewelry sounds nice. I know what I'd like..."

"Ok, what?"

"An anklet."

"An anklet?"

"Yeah. You know what an anklet is, don't you?"

"Yes, Angie, I know what an anklet is. Gold or silver?"

"Gold."

"Ok, you got it. I'll have to measure your ankle."

"I'll let you do that."

"Yeah? You'll let me do that?" He smiled at her, and when she smiled back he felt a sensation in his chest, like something popping open and flowing through him like ripples in a pool. _Is this what they're talkin' about when they say their heart's overflowin' with love? That's what this feels like..._

He turned and pulled her against him. Even after two rounds of lovemaking, he still felt a rush at the feel of her skin on his. At this point it was less sexual and more emotional, but it felt just as good. _I'm hopelessly in love with this woman... _

"I want an anklet I can wear all the time. I like them better than bracelets."

"Why's that?"

"Bracelets get in the way sometimes. Anklets don't."

"Hm. I wonder what I can measure your ankle with."

"I'm sure Marilyn will have something I can use. I'll ask her tomorrow."

_csinycsinycsiny_

"Hey Stell!"

"Hey Flack, what's up?"

"Hey, I need your help with somethin'."

"Oh yeah? Whatcha need?"

"Angie wants an anklet for her birthday. I could use some help findin' one."

"An anklet. Not a ring or a bracelet?"

"Nope. A gold anklet. And I have an idea for it, one that would make it special."

"Sounds interesting. I'd be happy to help. When's her birthday?"

"Next Friday."

"Ah, a Gemini, huh?"

"Yeah, whatever that means. I don't know if I can afford Tiffany's but I'm sure you know of some other nice jewelry stores."

"I do. I've got some time right now. Wanna take an actual lunch break and go shopping?"

"Yes, please. Thanks Stell."

"I'm happy to help."

Don knew what he wanted, and was surprised at how easy it was to convey his idea to the jeweler. The anklet was simple, a beautiful flat gold chain with a smooth lobster claw clasp. He had them attach a tiny heart to the ring on the clasp, but it was the engraving he had them do that really made it special.

"I didn't know you were such a romantic, Don."

"What can I say? I'm a man of many mysteries."

Stella laughed at that. "Well this is a great idea, and I know she'll love it."

"I hope so. Thanks again for your help."

"Not a problem."

_csinycsinycsiny_

Don left the box in his desk at the precinct. He didn't want Angie to find it, even innocently. He didn't suspect her of ever going through his things, but if she decided to straighten up the dresser drawers and found it... _better to keep it here, until Friday._

He smiled at the thought of how she might react when she saw it. He got her what she wanted, but he found a way to make it more personal, and he was proud of himself for it. _I wanna get some flowers and balloons too... _and a card. But he had a week to get the rest of it together. He didn't think Stella would want to go out and shop right then, but he was glad she had, because he'd been worrying about how he was going to find a place where he could get engraving done on an anklet, and have the heart charm added too.

He was happy to be back on his regular job after his week of administrative leave. There had been a lot of paperwork to do following the drug bust and the attack on the crime lab, and what he'd thought would be a boring interval of desk duty had turned out to be quite a large task. By the end of the week he was beginning to go a bit crazy and couldn't wait to get back out into the field. He was thankful they hadn't given him two weeks of desk duty! _I'da gone nuts for sure... _And Angie had caught the backlash of his frustration at being chained to his desk. He winced inwardly as he remembered one night in particular...

Angie was doing dishes when he got home. He was in a foul mood. Not only was he going crazy stuck in the squadroom doing paperwork, but his computer had crashed on him, and he'd lost some of the data he'd uploaded and had to start over. _Fuckin' Windows. No wonder Angie wanted a Mac... _

She smiled at him when she saw him. He noticed it peripherally but it got lost in his lingering anger and frustration. He looked at her and then went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. He opened it and took a long pull, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and then looked at her again.

"Rough day, huh?" she asked.

"You could say that. My computer crashed and I lost a bunch of stuff I'd uploaded. I had to start over. So fuckin' annoying."

"I hate when that happens. That's why I wanted a Mac. They don't crash like pc's."

"No shit. Unfortunately I don't have a choice at work."

"Ooh, somebody's in a really bad mood. I bet you're hungry too. I haven't started dinner yet. What would you like?"

"You know what? I really don't give a fuck, Angie. Just fix somethin' and I'll eat it, ok?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth he knew he'd screwed up bigtime. _Jesus fucking christ, Flack, I can't believe you just talked to her like that! _ He looked at her. Her eyes welled up and he watched them spill over, and then she turned and left the room. _Oh shit, I'm toast... _

"Fuck. Angie, I'm sorry!" He followed her into the bedroom. She was on the bed, curled up on her side with her back to the door. He could see that she was crying. He went around to the other side of the bed and sat down. She'd covered her face with her arm.

"Angie, I'm so sorry. Look at me, please?"

She sat up and hugged her knees. She didn't look at him.

"Come on, slap me, yell at me, somethin'. I deserve it."

"You know, I get that you're having a bad week, but you have no right to take it out on me!"

"You're right. I don't."

"I haven't had such a great day either. I got my period this morning, I've had cramps all day, and I worked all day feeling like crap, and then you come home and snap at me, when all I did was ask you what you want for dinner! That's bullshit Don!"

_Oh, fuck, this is so fucked up, snappin' at her was bad enough, but on top of that she's hormonal... _

Seeing her crying like she was felt like a knife in his heart. Knowing that he'd caused it made him feel sick. His stomach twisted. He swallowed, feeling like the half a beer he'd drunk was going to come back up. He didn't know whether to touch her or not. He felt, quite simply, helpless. He'd never done anything like this to her before. Sure, they'd had fights, plenty of them, but this was different. This was him directing his anger and frustration toward her, and though he didn't mean it as an attack, he knew that was how she took it. And there was something else... _How could I lose it like that? On her, the most important person in my life! Shit, Danny coulda dealt with that, but Angie? No. There's no excuse..._

She startled him when she spoke. "I guess you could say now I know how it feels."

"Whaddayou mean?"

"Because I've gone off on you more than once, like that time I flipped out over you sayin' that I knew what hours criminals work, or whatever the fuck it was."

"Oh, baby, I am so sorry. You didn't deserve that at all, what I said to you. There was no excuse for me to take my bad day out on you. Please forgive me."

She looked at her toes for a few seconds, and then she climbed into his arms. He held her close and whispered to her.

"I love you so much, I don't ever want to hurt you." He felt his emotions breaking free of his control, and he struggled to hold back tears of his own.

"We still haven't decided what we want for dinner," she said.

"Oh, jeez! How can you even think of food right now?"

"Well, I'm not really hungry, but I'm sure you are."

"I was when I got home, but right now I feel like I went one too many times on a roller coaster."

"In a way, you did. We both did. Let's just calm down and then order in. I don't feel like cooking."

"Do you still have cramps?"

"Yeah, but I'm on Advil right now so it's not as bad."

"I wish I knew what that felt like."

"Why, for God's sake?"

"So I could understand what you go through."

"Trust me, you're better off not knowing."

"It's not fair though, for a woman to deal with that pain every month and a man to have no clue what it's like."

She looked at him. She seemed, _what's the word? Incredulous._ Like she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"You just made up for snapping at me."

"What? Why?"

"How many men would say something like that? None that I know of. And what's most incredible is that I know you mean it. You're not just saying it to get back on my good side."

"I feel like I'd do anything to make up for hurting you. But you're right. I mean it."

"Will you cuddle on the sofa and watch TV with me later?"

"Of course. I'll even rub your tummy."

She kissed him, and it felt like sunshine and renewed hope. "I love you," she said, and smiled.

"Oh, baby, I love you too. So what do we want for dinner?"

_csinycsinycsiny_

"Flack." Don was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of someone's voice.

"What? Oh, sorry Marco, I was lost in thought."

"Ya think? Here's that other report you asked for."

"Thanks." He looked at his watch. _Six-thirty. I'd better call Angie, let 'er know I'm runnin' late. _

"Hey handsome," she said brightly. "You're gonna be late, aren't you?"

"You know me so well. I'm sorry. I'm just behind on some stuff, and I have to go out in the field here in a few."

"Well I know better than to ask what you'll be doing, so I'll just tell you to be careful and I'll see you later."

"Thanks baby. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Okay, bye."

Don had arranged to have Angie's birthday off. He woke early and started coffee while she slept. He was having flowers delivered later in the morning, and he'd stashed her gift in his underwear drawer. He smiled at the thought of what she'd think if she found her anklet among his boxer shorts and briefs. _Maybe I oughta have her get me a pair of skivvies and let her find it herself... _he went and repositioned the box so it was sitting right on top of the clothing. _She can't miss that... _

He'd decided to make breakfast for her, though he knew he couldn't do it as well as she could. But he could scramble some eggs and fry some bacon, and he'd gotten some lovely cinnamon raisin bread from a local bakery. He'd bought some fruit which he planned to slice up and make a salad. He checked to make sure she was still asleep and then got to work.

As he suspected, the smell of coffee and bacon woke her. She wandered into the kitchen, yawning and stretching. She came up behind him and put her arms around him.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Makin' breakfast for my birthday girl."

"Don, that's so sweet."

"You deserve it. You take such good care 'a me, it's about time I returned the favor." He turned and wrapped his arms around her. He bent and kissed her. "Though I shouldn't wait till it's your birthday..."

"Don, you take care of me every day. I couldn't ask for better." The smile she gave him sent a jolt through him; a rush of pure love.

"Sit down and let me wait on you."

"I feel funny, like I should be doing all that," she said, looking at the stove and the cooking he was doing.

"Not today. Sit."

She sat down and he brought her coffee. He plated up the bacon and eggs. The toast popped up in perfect timing. He put everything on the table and sat down across from her. She favored him with a sweet, shy smile. He knew he was grinning like an idiot, but he couldn't help it. She sat across from him in her pink nightgown, her dark hair tousled, her eyes sparkling, and she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Wow. This is awesome. Thank you."

"It's not as good as you can do it, but it'll do, I think."

"Are you kidding me? You made a fruit salad! And this bread. Where'd you get it?"

"That little bakery over near Marilyn's."

"It's delicious. The bacon's perfect. You did a great job, sweetie."

"Thank you. I've been plannin' this all week. I was just hopin' you wouldn't wake up until I'd started cookin'."

"I feel very special."

"You are special."

_csinycsinycsiny_

"Good morning Marilyn," Angie said as she bounced into the office.

"Well you look cheery this morning. Did you have a nice birthday?"

"I had the best birthday I've ever had. You wouldn't believe what Don planned for the day."

"You gonna tell me about it?"

"Well first he made me breakfast. He got some cinnamon raisin bread from the bakery around the corner, and he made a fruit salad. He had flowers delivered to the apartment, then we went for a picnic at lunchtime in the park. He took me out for Thai food for dinner. I have never felt so pampered, so special, in my life."

"Well it doesn't surprise me. Don's a special man. And he's madly in love with you."

"He's incredible. Oh! Look at the anklet he bought me." She lifted her pantleg and pulled her sock down so Marilyn could see it.

"Oh, honey, that's beautiful!"

"Isn't it? The heart and the engraving, he came up with all of it. He only had Stella help him find a jewelry store."

"You picked a peach when you went after him."

"You're telling me?"

"I'm gonna run upstairs real quick. You want some coffee?"

"Yeah, thanks." Marilyn left the office. Angie stopped for a moment and remembered the moment when she'd found the anklet in Don's underwear drawer...

"Hey baby? Could you grab me a pair a' boxers outta my drawer?"

She frowned slightly. _That's weird; he's never asked me to get his underwear for him..._ she shrugged and opened the drawer. On top of the clothing was a long thin box. _Oh, sneaky, Don._

"Hey Don? What's in this box in your boxer drawer?"

He laughed at her little joke. "Why don't you open it and find out?" He came back into the bedroom from the bathroom. She wasn't surprised to see that he was already wearing his boxers. She smiled.

"Go on, open it."

She pulled the anklet out of the box. "Oh my God, Don." It was beautiful in it's simplicity; sparkling gold with a tiny heart charm on the clasp. Then she noticed the engraving. On the outside it read "Don&Angie", and on the back, "I love you, Don - 6-8-07". She was speechless. She looked at his smiling face.

"Don't cry! Here, let me put it on for you." She put her foot up on the bed, and he fastened the anklet, and then circled her ankle with his fingers. He bent and kissed her knee, and then her thigh, his lips light on her skin, his fingers fluttering along her calf, and then sweeping up between her legs. She gasped at the sheer pleasure of his touch...

Angie gave herself a mental shake. _I'll never get anything done if I daydream about Don all day! _She went to open the safe.

Every now and then when she was at the safe she recalled the night she'd been shot. Although it was early and the store wasn't open yet, she couldn't resist looking around quickly before she dialed the combination and opened the door. She'd grabbed a paper bag from one of the checkstands and started pulling bags from the safe and dumping them in the paper bag. Marilyn appeared with her coffee and they verified the safe count together. She verified the tills and put them in the registers and then took the paper bag to the office. Her job was to count each cashier's money and balance his or her sales for the previous day. Then she made up a deposit that would be picked up by an armored car service later in the day. Once that was done she'd input the data from her worksheet onto the spreadsheet in the computer. This way she was able to keep track of daily sales. She also took care of price changes in the registers. This took up all of the morning and part of the afternoon. The remainder of her shift was spent stocking product. She'd gone to 4 days a week, and Koree was her alternate.

She arranged the bags by cashier, pulled a worksheet from the drawer and went to work.


	43. Chapter 43

Danny was half asleep, sprawled across the bed in front of the TV. A noise that wasn't coming from the set made him frown slightly. It was someone knocking at the door. He got up, went to the door and looked through the peephole. _What's Don doin' here in the middle of the day? _He opened the door and saw his friend standing there. He wasn't in a suit; he was wearing jeans and a white oxford shirt with sleeves rolled up, and boots.

"Hey man, what're you doin' here?"

"I... I need to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"Of course." He stepped aside to let Don in. He wondered what was bothering him. It was obvious that something wasn't right. "I was just watchin' TV and fightin' boredom."

"You wanna get out for awhile?"

"I'd love to. Is Angie workin'?"

"Yeah. Have you had lunch?"

"Nah. You wanna go get some food?"

"Yeah. I'll buy, and you can let me bounce some stuff off you."

"At your service, pal. Lemme grab my jacket."

"You probably don't need it. It's nice out there today."

Danny shrugged, and followed Don out the door, locking it behind him.

They went to their favorite diner and had lunch. After they'd ordered, Danny sat back and looked at Don.

"Ok pal, what's botherin' you?"

Don told Danny the whole story of how he'd come home in a foul mood and made Angie cry when he took it out on her. Danny listened without comment, nodding here and there as Don spoke. He could see how much this had upset his friend.

"But you said she forgave you, right?"

"Yeah, she did, but I still feel bad."

"Ok, why? I mean, what is it that still has you bugged?"

"Just that I went off on her like that to start with. As soon as it was outta my mouth, I knew I'd screwed up bigtime. I was horrified at myself, you know? And then I looked at her and watched her eyes well up, and it felt like an ice pick in my heart. I just couldn't believe I'd said that to her. And now, even though we talked, she forgave me and we're ok, I still feel like somethin's wrong. Not with her and me. Just with me."

Danny nodded, his brow furrowing slightly. The food arrived. The conversation stalled for bit while they dug into the burgers and fries they'd ordered. _Whatever's botherin' him, it doesn't seem to have affected his appetite,_ Danny thought as he watched Don devour his lunch.

"What, Angie starvin' you?"

"Huh?" Don said around a mouthful of cheeseburger.

"Nothin'." He turned his attention back to his own food.

"I heard you. No, she's not starvin' me. But I admit I haven't had as much of an appetite lately."

"Well I see no evidence of that right now."

"I think that's because I just got all that shit off my chest. It's a relief, you know?"

"Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"I didn't wanna bother you with my personal problems. Is that stupid or what?"

"Yeah. That is stupid. I woulda loved to have you come rescue me from my boredom."

Don smiled at that. "Well, I also thought I could handle it myself. But it's eatin' at me." He shrugged. "You're my best friend. Who else can I go to if not you?"

"You shoulda come to me sooner. But you're here now. So let's figure this thing out. After we finish eatin'."

"Right."

After lunch, they decided to go to the Park. They walked for a bit and then found a bench and sat down. It was a lovely early summer day. The sun filtered through the trees and gave an ethereal look to the area around them. The dappled light and soft shade had a calming influence. Danny could see Don visibly relax. Danny took a deep breath. The air felt cleaner here in the park. _I'm sure it's not, but I can pretend..._

"Ok. You came home in a bad mood, and you took it out on Angie. You guys made up and that part of it's ok. But you still feel bad. So we need to try to figure out what's behind that. Right?"

"Yeah. I didn't... it wasn't personal, you know? If you'd been in the line of fire it would have been you I went off on. It had nothin' to do with her. And she knows that. But I don't just go off like that for no reason. Especially not on Angie. And that's what has me bugged. I mean, yeah, I was goin' stir crazy sittin' at my desk all week, but there has to be more to it than that."

"Well, you did have to kill a guy..." Danny watched Don's face for a reaction. _Yep, there it is. That's part of it._ There was an almost imperceptible flinch. Only someone very close to Don would have noticed it.

"And there were fellow officers bein' held hostage, one of which just happened to be your best friend."

Don looked at him at that point. "That was scary."

"And then you get back to the crimelab, and there's an explosion, which had to have reminded you of when you got blown up by that jerk Lessing." Don's eyes widened, and he looked like he'd just come to a realization of some kind.

"Fuck, Danny, I never even thoughta that."

"And then you get cooped up indoors, which may have been somewhat reminiscent of bein' in the hospital."

"Holy shit! You were right; I shoulda come to you sooner."

Danny had to laugh at that. "Better late than never. But we're gettin' somewhere, am I right?"

"Hell yeah. But why did I take it out on Angie?"

"You didn't. You just, you know, boiled over. Like you said, it coulda been me you went off on. She just happened to be there when it overtook you. Didn't you go for counsellin'?"

"Yeah, but I've only seen her once, and we really didn't get too deep into anything. I just told her what happened."

"How come you've only seen her once?"

Don looked at his boots. "I cancelled an appointment."

"Why'd you do that?"

"I was... I know there's no excuse. I was just so busy with all this paperwork and the thought of havin' it take that much longer to get finished... I called her and cancelled. I know, stupid."

"Yeah, stupid. When's your next appointment?"

"Tomorrow. And yes, I'm goin', so don't even say it."

"You miss another appointment and I'll kick your ass."

"Fuck you. But thanks." He leaned over with his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands._ Now comes the lettin' go part. I hope he doesn't cry... _Danny reached out and ran his good hand across Don's shoulders a few times.

"Ya alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks Dan. I knew you could help me sort all this crap out."

"You're gonna be fine. Just don't miss any more appointments."

"I swear. And now I'll have something to talk to her about."

Danny sat back and looked out across the grass. The light had shifted. He checked his watch. It was 4:30pm.

"How's Angie gettin' home?"

"I'm pickin' her up. Shit, what time is it?"

"4:30."

"I have to get her at five."

"Well, let's go. You can drop me off after. I need to grab a few groceries anyway."

They got up together and headed for the car.

_csinycsinycsiny_

"Well, what did I do to deserve this?" Marilyn asked when they walked into the store. "Two handsome cops in my place. Woohoo! How ya doin' Danny?"

"I'm comin' along Marilyn. How's business?"

"I can't complain. Angie's upstairs, Don."

"What's she doin' upstairs?"

"I made way too much fried chicken last night. She's packin' up some of the leftovers."

"I guess I know what's for dinner! Thanks Marilyn."

"I know how much you two love my chicken."

"I'm gonna shop," Danny said.

"Ok. I'm gonna go see if Angie needs any help up there." He went out the door and climbed the stairs to the apartment. He didn't knock; he just went in.

"Hey baby, you need some help?"

"Geez Don, look at all this food she gave us." It wasn't just fried chicken. There was potato salad too.

"Damn. We oughta invite Danny to have dinner with us. There's plenty. Lindsay's workin' late."

"Danny's with you?"

"Oh, yeah, we spend most of the day together."

"That's great."

"Yeah, we were in the park and realized it was time to come get you, so I brought him along."

"Let's ask him over. Definitely."

He took the large paper bag containing fried chicken and potato salad from her and carried it down the stairs to the car. Angie followed him and then went looking for Danny.

"Hey Danny!" She called when she spotted him on the aisle.

"Angie, how you doin' hon?"

"I'm good. Listen, we want you to come eat fried chicken with us."

"Yeah? That sounds great. What can I contribute?"

"How about stuff for a salad?"

"Sure, but you help me pick it out, ok?"

"I'd be happy to." They went down the produce aisle and picked out various lettuces, tomatoes and assorted veggies. Angie grabbed a six-pack of Coke. "I shouldn't drink this stuff but I love it, so I allow myself one once in a while." She picked up a loaf of a rosemary-garlic artisan bread. "Cornbread would be better, but I'm not even gonna try to make cornbread. I can't touch Marilyn's."

"Well that stuff there looks great. I'm sure it'll be fine," Danny said. Don met them at the front and they paid for their groceries.

"Thanks again, Marilyn," Angie said.

"You're welcome. Enjoy it."

Angie could tell that Don was enjoying having Danny over. She knew that the two men didn't spend as much time together now that they both had women in their lives, and it was obvious that they missed each other. She was glad they'd gotten together today, and she could see that Don was feeling better this evening than he had lately. _I bet he told Danny about all the crap he's been dealing with lately. And Danny helped him sort it out. I'm glad he has such a good friend. _She smiled as she listened to them laughing and talking in the living room. They'd turned on the TV and were watching some sports event. Dinner was over and the kitchen cleaned up. She decided that now would be a good time to go check her emails and online stuff, so she went to the office and booted up the Firefox browser. She was delighted to find an inquiry about a website; not a custom, but that was ok. The more people who used her templates and paid her to host their site, the better. She had an ever growing group of customers, and she still got all fluttery inside when she saw one of her templates or sites on the web.

She felt Don behind her just before he touched her on the shoulder. She always knew when he was close even if she couldn't see him. She seemed to have extended senses where he was concerned.

"Hey, you bein' anti-social?" he asked.

"No, I'm just letting you and Danny enjoy each other's company. Look, I got another customer."

"Hey Danny! Have you seen any of Angie's work?"

Danny came into the office. "Nah, whaddaya got?"

"Check this out." Don pulled the chair over and motioned for Danny to sit. He did, and Angie took him on a tour of her cyber world. She showed him the custom sites she'd done; she was up to three now, and she showed him the templates for the people who wanted to build and manage their own sites.

"Get outta here. That's amazing! You created all this yourself?"

"Yep. You like it?"

"Hell yeah, I'm impressed. I'll be sure to recommend you if anyone I know needs a website."

"Thanks. I'm really having fun with it. Doing something you love and getting paid for it is a beautiful thing."

Danny and Don smiled at each other.

"At least now she doesn't cry when she gets an order."

"Oh come on, it was just that one time. I got three orders in one day. I was just stunned, is all."

"You know you can come sit with us if you want to." Danny said.

"Oh, that's ok. I'm not in the mood for sports right now. You boys go enjoy yourselves."

The men both laughed at that. They went back to the living room and left Angie alone with her computer. She found herself smiling again at the laughter and good-natured insults coming from the other room. _Male bonding. So damn cute._

_csinycsinycsiny _

It was around 11:30pm when Don got back from taking Danny home. Angie had already gone to bed. He walked into the bedroom. The first thing he noticed was the smell of vanilla. Then he saw that the room was lit by a single candle on the dresser. He stopped and just took it all in. The faint golden light of the candle. The sweet, delicious smell of Angie in the air. Tendrils of cool breeze slipping into the room from the open window. His eyes came to rest on the bed, where Angie lay, partially covered with the sheet, the comforter turned down to the foot of the bed. He looked closer... her dark eyes were open, twinkling softly from the light of the single candle. She smiled at him, and he felt like time stood still for one perfect, precious moment when everything was exactly as it should be. In that moment he knew that he was blessed and blessed again. He'd just spent the day with his best friend, and now he'd come home to the love of his life. _It doesn't get any better than this..._

"Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me? Or are you gonna come join me?"

She didn't have to ask him twice.


	44. Chapter 44

"So what do you want for your birthday?"

Don looked up from his plate of chicken and rice. "Huh?"

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"Nothin'. No. You. That's what I want. Just you."

"You've already got me. I want to get you something. You got me a really beautiful gift."

"I got you what you told me you wanted. You don't need to buy me anything. Really."

"You're no fun. There must be something I can get for you."

"Well, let's both think about it. My birthday's not for a few more weeks. Let's not rush me gettin' another year older."

"You're only gonna be 33. Jeez, Don, it's not like you're old."

"I'm gettin' grey hair already."

"And it's very sexy."

"Oh bullshit."

"It is! I think it looks great. You're probably gonna be one of those men who gets white hair but still has dark eyebrows. What's that guy's name? The one who hosts Family Feud. Like him."

"I can't remember his name either. You're probably right. That's how Pop's hair is now."

"You're just gonna improve with age, so don't worry about it."

"Oh, so there's room for improvement?"

"You know what I mean."

He smiled at her, and then went back to his dinner. He really didn't want her to make a fuss over his birthday. _Just greet me at the door in a sexy nightgown and then fuck my brains out. That'll be perfect._ He had a feeling that some hot lovemaking would be part of his birthday celebration. He looked at Angie. She was smiling at him, and he had a strange feeling, like she knew what he was thinking. And there was something else, something he couldn't put his finger on... whatever it was, he didn't try to figure it out. He was too busy enjoying the dinner she'd made for him. She'd really become a great cook in the months they'd been together. He realized that they were coming up on a year since they'd met at the diner. It had been shortly after his birthday last year.

"Let's just go out to dinner and then come home and make love all night on my birthday."

"Spoken like a true man."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? It's not my fault that you're the sexiest woman on the planet." She favored him with a shy smile. She was looking pretty sexy right now, in a halter top and shorts, with her hair twisted up in one of those big clips she wore. Tendrils of it had escaped the clip and were curling gently along her neck and the sides of her face. He found himself wanting to open the clip and watch her hair cascade down her back. _Later... I'll take off the clip along with the rest of her clothes... what little she's wearin'... _He turned his attention back to his food.

_csinycsinycsiny_

The weather was warming up; Summer had definitely arrived. Don's birthday was August 28th, and it was a hot, humid day. He'd been out on the street earlier, and had left his jacket in the squad car. It was just too hot to wear it. He'd worn a white shirt with blue pin stripes, in an attempt to reflect as much sun and heat as possible. He still felt like he was in a steam bath. _Jeez, this is New York, not Florida._

He'd had a busy morning; the heat and humidity were making people crazy. Crazy drivers, someone holding up a bodega, a purse snatcher in the park. Nothing earth-shattering; just enough to keep him running all morning.

He got back to the precinct and collapsed into his chair at his desk. He rolled up his sleeves, unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and loosened his tie. He was going to be at his desk for awhile. _Might as well cool off a little..._

He was just getting into proofreading a report when, in the corner of his eye, he saw a very sexy- and very familiar- pair of female legs. He frowned slightly and looked up. His jaw dropped.

Angie stood beside his desk. She was wearing one of his shirts, tied at the waist with a lacy camisole underneath. She was also wearing a denim mini skirt and a cute pair of high-heeled sandals. Her hair was in a ponytail. He was stunned.

"Holy shit," he said.

"What?"

"You look absolutely gorgeous."

"Why, thank you. I was hoping you could get away for lunch?"

"Uh, yeah. Lemme close this program and sign off here..." A few clicks of the mouse and the computer was idle. He got up and took her hand.

"Hey Marco, if anyone asks I'm goin' to lunch."

"Ok Flack, see ya later."

"So where should we go?" Angie asked him as they walked out into the midday heat.

"Somewhere with good air conditioning. Damn, it's hot today."

"How's your day going so far?"

"The usual. The heat is bringin' out the crazies. Nothin' too extreme, luckily."

"Oh, by the way, happy birthday."

"Thanks. Is this a birthday present?"

"What?"

"You, showin' up lookin' like that. Jeez, I just wanna drag you into a closet somewhere."

"Well, you can have your way with me tonight. I don't want to go out. I want to make a nice dinner, and eat in bed between lovemaking sessions. Does that sound like a good birthday present?"

"Hell yeah. Sounds great to me."

"You got it."

_csinycsinycsiny _

Angie was true to her word. Don walked through the door and was greeted by the smell of food cooking. He closed the door and locked it, and then Angie came into the living room. His breath caught at the sight of her. She was wearing something that had to be new, because he'd have remembered it. It was pink and flimy and soft, and just a bit see-through. It came only to her mid-thigh, showing off her shapely legs. Her hair was loose, flowing around her shoulders and down her back. _Holy shit. I'm done for. Could she possibly be any more beautiful? _She approached him and took his hand. She smiled up at him and he felt a rush of pure sexual desire flood through him. Then he smelled her vanilla perfume. It made him want her even more.

"Come with me," she said sweetly. She led him to the bedroom. He wasn't surprised to see the room bathed in candlelight. The bed was turned down. She turned to face him, and started to undress him, taking off his tie, unbuttoning his shirt, slowly, deliberately. He took in the delicious sight of her, small and feminine, her nipples erect and showing through the flimy nightgown. Her eyes twinkled in the candlelight. She tugged on his sleeves and he shrugged out of his dress shirt. She unbuckled his belt and started to undo his pants, and at that point he lost his self control. He grabbed her into his arms and kissed her deeply, passionately. She returned the kisses with equal enthusiasm. She leaned into him, and the feel of her body against his was almost too much at that moment. He pulled away from her.

"I gotta take a shower... it's been a long day, and I'm sure I stink."

"You don't stink. You smell like a man. Like my man. You can take a shower after round one."

_Which isn't gonna last long, as horny as I am..._ Maybe that was the idea. She was going to satisfy his overwhelming lust for her now, then feed him, and then start round two later... _who am I kiddin'? I don't have the will to resist... _"Are you sure?"

"You really wanna wait?"

"No, I can't wait. I want you now." He walked her backward until her legs made contact with the bed. She sat down and went back to work on his pants, while he kicked off his shoes. She pulled his pants down along with his boxers and he stepped out of them, then pulled off his undershirt and tossed it to the floor. He sat down beside her and pulled off his socks, then lay down and pulled her on top of him.

"Where did you find this nightgown, negligee, whatever it is?"

"Koree and I went shopping. You like it?"

"Are you kidding me? I've never seen anything so sexy. God, you're so beautiful."

"And you are hard as a rock. Been thinkin' about me?"

"All day. Come on, after you showed up in that mini skirt and one of my shirts? I wanted to fuck your brains out then. You've been a distraction all afternoon."

"Well what are you waiting for? This is your birthday present. You said you wanted me. Here I am."

He didn't waste any more time. He rolled over with her under him. He held back for a moment, and took the time to look at her, cup her breasts through the nightgown, run his hand down her side and across her belly. She arched into his touch. He ran his hand down between her legs, tickling her, still through the filmy fabric. It was smooth, sheer and slippery. She moaned softly and opened her legs. He smelled her scent. Felt the warmth of her skin. Saw the lust in her eyes. He slipped his hand under the gown and put a finger up inside her. She was wet. He was hit with an overwhelming desire to be inside her. He parted her lips with his fingers and pushed in. She was hot, wet and tight, and he gasped at the intensity of the sensation. Then she wrapped her legs around his back. He moaned loudly and began to move inside her, slowly at first but picking up speed quickly. He couldn't hold back, and he knew she didn't want him to. At some point it fluttered across his mind that he was going to come before she did, but he knew that was ok. He'd get her off. No problem. A split second later that thought was gone, lost in the rhythm of his thrusting, faster, harder, and she was moaning and holding him tight with her arms and legs. Then he heard words...

"I love you Don, I love you, oh, give it to me, come on, show me your love..."

He couldn't speak, couldn't even think, he could only feel, feel the explosion of love in his heart followed by the shockwave of pleasure as he convulsed, spilling his love into her, feeling her hold him tight, possessing him body and soul. He stifled a yell that trailed off into a moan. His orgasm seemed to go on for a long time, but finally he felt the waves of pleasure receding, and then he felt her push against him. He pulled out of her and went for her spot with his finger, making the little circles that he knew would push her over the edge. And they did, quickly and intensely, judging by the wails of pleasure coming from her. She jerked and shuddered and cried out, and he reveled in every second of it.

_csinycsinycsiny_

After round one, they took a shower. Angie had put dinner in the oven on low, just enough to keep it warm until they were ready to eat.

"What did you cook? It smells great."

"It's called Bandarillas. It's a Mexican dish." She pulled a large pan out of the oven and put it on the table.

"Jeez, what all's in it?" he asked as he watched her pull a foil packet out of the oven. It was tortillas.

"It's a rice pilaf topped with sauteed vegetables and grilled meat, and then melted cheese. It's really yummy. Mom doesn't make it like this. I turned it into a casserole because I knew we wouldn't be eating right away. But I think it'll be fine."

"It looks delicious. And I'm starving. What a surprise, huh?"

"We sexed up an appetite."

He laughed at that.

_csinycsinycsiny _

_Time for round two... _It started with an after-dinner tickling fight, Don chasing Angie around the apartment, grabbing her and tickling her until she was breathless with laughter. She broke free of him and ran into the bedroom. He followed her and tackled her, both of them falling onto the bed. He rolled over with her under him, but she pushed him back.

"Uh-uh. My turn," she said with a smile.

"Hey, it's my birthday."

"And this is the next part of your gift. On your back, detective."

He knew better than to argue. He rolled onto his back and looked at her expectantly. She straddled him and bent to kiss him. He caressed her, running his hands down her back to her round, lovely ass. She raised her eyebrows at him. She began a journey down his body, kissing him gently on the lips, then the hollow under his jaw. She caressed his chest lightly, and ran her tongue in circles on his left nipple, then blew gently on it. He felt it contract and harden. He felt something else start to harden as well... she dropped a trail of kisses down his chest to his belly, crossing over to the scar under his ribs. She kissed the ragged scar lovingly, then continued down over his hip. She ran her fingers down his left leg, then came back up between his legs. He opened them a bit. He wondered what she had in mind. He suddenly found out.

She took him into her mouth, and he felt a shock of surprise and arousal strike through him. She'd only gone down on him a few times, and he never asked her for it. He loved it; loved the feel of her lips and tongue on him, but it was something that he wanted her to be in the mood for. _I guess this is a special occasion... oh jesus, that feels good... _he knew she wouldn't let him come in her mouth; she didn't like the taste of it, but that was ok with him. Once he was that far gone he really couldn't tell the difference.

"Angie, you do that so well..."

She couldn't answer with him in her mouth, so all he heard was "mm-hmm..." He propped himself up so he could watch her. That was half the fun; seeing her lips on him, watching what she did with her tongue, teasing him mercilessly. He wondered vaguely where she'd learned to do her erotic magic, but right now he was enjoying it too much to give it more than a passing thought.

She turned her head slightly and looked up at him. She smiled, with him still in her mouth. That almost sent him over the edge. There was something incredibly erotic about watching her in complete control of such a vulnerable and sensitive part of him. He felt something pop open in his solar plexus that spread like a shock wave through his body and set off another wave... he was about to come...

"Angie, I'm almost there..." he managed to mutter. She nodded, and brought her hand up and began to stroke him with it. He lay back and let it happen, that almost unbearable climb to the top of the track, teetering on the brink and then slipping over the edge. At that point he basically lost his mind. He was completely engulfed in the intense, shuddering pleasure of his orgasm. It wasn't until the waves began to recede that he came back to himself.

"Oh my God, Angie. Did I scream?"

"You moaned incoherently." Then she laughed.

"What?"

"Look how far the come shot out of you."

He propped himself up and looked. It was splattered on his chest.

"Shit, I don't know whether to be embarassed or proud of myself."

"You're a stud, no doubts there. Wow."

"Gimme a minute and we'll take care'a you. You gotta be horny as hell after that."

"Oh I am, definitely."

"I gotta get this mess off my chest first."

She plucked a few tissues from the box on the nightstand. "Here, I've got it." She cleaned him up and tossed the tissues in the waste basket. She looked at him.

"Lie down." He was actually wanting to get up before he fell asleep. He nudged her legs apart and settled himself with his head between them. He kissed her innner thighs a few times, but he knew at this point she didn't need any more foreplay. It didn't take much at all to have her convulsing and moaning in the throes of what he could tell was a spectacular orgasm. He smiled as he continued to kiss and lick her until she began to calm down. He lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms so she was lying on top of him.

She heaved a deep, satisfied sigh. "Who's birthday is it again?"

"Why shouldn't you get a present too?"

"Hm. I vote for a nap. What do you think?"

"That sounds great. But let's set the clock so we don't end up sleepin' through the night. I have a feelin' we're not done yet."

"We're not. We still have to have dessert."

"This'll be night to remember, if I live through it."

She set the clock to wake them in an hour. "Oh, you will." She settled down beside him. In a few minutes they were both asleep.

_csinycsinycsiny _

They had cake and ice cream at around midnight, in bed by candlelight.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had," Don said around a mouthful of chocolate cake.

"I did good, huh?"

"You did great. You gave me exactly what I said I wanted."

"Except that we didn't go out to dinner."

"Hey, I'd rather have you cook for me any time."

"Really?"

"You bet. I love your cooking. Besides, if we'd gone out we couldn't have had cake and ice cream in bed."

"This is a nice way to end the evening."

"Oh, so you think we're done?"

"I don't know. You got the energy for a third round?"

"I wanna enjoy every last minute of my birthday. My birthday love fest."

"I'm game if you are."

"Lemme finish my cake and ice cream first."

"It's a good thing you're off tomorrow. You're gonna be worn out."

"If I did go to work everyone would wonder why I had such a stupid grin on my face all day."

She laughed at that. "I can make us a nice breakfast in the morning."

"I may have to spend the day in bed. I may be too weak to get up."

"Somehow I doubt that."

Round three was slower, more relaxed, less intense, but every bit as pleasurable. It was the perfect ending to a perfect evening. They finally gave in to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep in each other's arms.

_csinycsinycsiny _

In the deep, dark of the night, a spark ignited. A tiny light danced and hovered over a sleeping couple. It floated over the man, and then over the woman, stopping here and there as if evaluating the pair. It rose into the air and surveyed the room, the bed, the man, the woman. It hovered for a time, and then it grew brighter. It pulsed as it floated above the couple and then dove into the woman at the exact moment when a wayward egg was found by a hard-swimming, determined sperm cell. The two met, the sperm penetrated the egg, and the light settled into the warmth and darkness of the woman's womb. It grew bright, expanding as if taking a breath, and then went to sleep, to wait, form and grow until it was time to emerge into the world again.


	45. Chapter 45

Don came through the door of the apartment and knew right away that something was wrong. He could hear sobbing coming from the bedroom. _Oh shit, what's she cryin' like that for!? _He went into the bedroom and saw Angie lying on the bed, curled up in a fetal position.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She sat up and threw her arms around him. He caught her and held her.

"Angie, sweetie, why're you cryin'?"

"Oh my god, Don. I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry? For what? Hey, calm down and tell me what's wrong."

She couldn't seem to stop crying. _Jesus, is she gonna pass out on me again? Oh god, please, no... _The memory of how terrified he was the night she'd had the panic attack came back in a rush that hit him in the gut. He held her close and tried to stay calm.

After awhile she started to calm down, _or maybe she's just worn herself out... _she wasn't crying as hard, which at this point was a relief, although he still had no idea why she was so distraught. He rocked her gently on his lap, caressing her back and running his fingers through her hair. She clung to him, her arms around his waist. He felt her take a deep breath. He kept rocking her, kept caressing her, kept praying that she'd calm down and tell him what she was so upset about. Finally she stopped sobbing, and all he could hear was little hiccupping sounds.

"Ok. Can you please tell me what is wrong?"

"I messed up so bad. You're gonna hate me..."

"Angie, I could never hate you. Why are you even sayin' that?"

"Oh fuck..." she seemed to be going out of control again, but this time it was like she was scared.

"Come on baby, please calm down. Please don't have a panic attack on me. I don't think I can handle that again..." He looked at her. She was gulping for air. _Oh god, no, not again! _"Angie! Get a grip! Just tell me what's goin' on! Please!"

"I'm pregnant Don!"

_What did she just say? She's pregnant?_ Of all the things he'd imagined she'd say, this was not on the list.

"You're pregnant? Did I hear you right?"

"Yes, oh god, I am so sorry..."

"Wait, I don't get it. You're on the pill..."

"I forgot to take two of them. I didn't think it would matter. Oh my god!"

"Hey! Hey, hey, calm down." He pulled her close to him and tried to get his head around this news. _She's pregnant. We're gonna have a baby. I'm gonna be a father. Oh fuck... _For a moment he was really scared. This was not something they'd even talked about. They weren't even married yet. It wasn't that he didn't want to be a parent; in fact, he was looking forward to it. _But not now... not this soon... _

Then he came to a realization. _If she's pregnant, then it's meant to be. Somethin' like this... it's no accident. It's divine intervention. _

"It's ok baby. It's ok."

"It's not ok. I screwed up. I screwed up! I ruined everything!"

"No, no you didn't! Stop that!" She started to sob again. _Jesus Christ! I can't deal with this! _He could only think of one thing to do.

_csinycsinycsiny_

"Angie, honey, stop this. Calm down now," Marilyn said. She'd sent Don to make tea, and made him go find the bottle of Rescue Remedy. Her heart had ached for him when he'd answered the door. He looked so scared, so upset, but when he told her why he'd asked for her help she could see beneath the fear and helplessness, to the spark of joy and wonder at what was happening.

"Why are you so upset? You should be happy."

"Happy! Marilyn, I ruined everything. Oh god..."

"Angie Watson you stop this right now!" Marilyn's stern voice seemed to do the trick. Angie stopped crying and looked at her.

"Why do feel like you ruined anything?"

"Because we're not even married yet! I wasn't supposed to get pregnant. Not now!"

Don came back into the room with the tea and rescue remedy. "Here baby, take some of this." She looked at the bottle, then looked at him, and started to cry again. Marilyn watched Don's face, watched him finally lose control of his emotions. His eyes welled up and tears rolled down his cheeks. He turned his back to them. _Poor boy, he's overwhelmed... _she took the bottle from him and measured out a dose.

"Open your mouth Angie, take this." The distraught younger woman did as she was told. Marilyn closed the bottle and looked up at Don. He was still standing with his back to them, and she could see by the way he was shaking that he'd lost his composure. _Or at least, what little of it he had left when I got here... he loves her so much, but she is a strain on his heart, poor thing. _

"Don, sit down honey." She reached out and touched his hand. He looked around and then sat down on the other side of Angie. Marilyn got up and pulled the chair over so she could sit facing them. She winced inwardly as she looked at Don's beautiful blue eyes swimming in tears. She looked around until she spotted a box of tissues on the nightstand. She handed it to Don.

He plucked a tissue from the box and wiped his eyes. "Sorry," he said, and offered the tissues to Angie.

"For crying? Don't be sorry, Don. You have more than enough cause to cry right now."

"Yeah, because I just ruined his life..." Angie said.

"Would you fuckin' stop that? Stop saying you ruined everything! I don't wanna hear that again!!!"

"Don, calm down. Don't add fuel to the fire. You know she doesn't mean that."

"Well then why does she keep sayin' it?"

"Because she's scared. Don't you understand? She feels like she screwed up because she wasn't paying attention. Now let's all just stop for a minute. Let's just slow down. Both of you, get a grip. Breathe. Now."

She watched as this amazing couple both closed their eyes and started breathing slowly, deliberately, and almost in unison. She watched Don find Angie's hand, and watched her fingers close around his. She saw a reconnection between the two of them, and saw both of them relax, shoulders dropping, faces become more serene. _Ok, now we're getting somewhere. _She let them continue to relax, to regain their composures, and then she spoke softly.

"Ok, let's talk. Don? What are you feeling? And Angie, you keep quiet and let the man speak."

Don took a deep breath. "I'm... surprised. Scared. Happy. Hell, elated. But I'm confused, because I don't get why she's so upset. She keeps sayin' she ruined everything, and I almost feel like she doesn't want this. I mean, ok, it wasn't planned, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing."

"Angie? Why do you think you ruined everything? Don, let her say what she needs to say."

Angie just sat there. She bit her lip. Marilyn waited for her to speak.

"I wasn't supposed to get pregnant. Not now. That was supposed to happen later, after we got married. Assuming we were going to..."

Marilyn held up a hand when she saw Don's mouth open. "Let her talk, Don." He nodded.

"I didn't do this on purpose. I really didn't. I just got busy and sidetracked and I forgot to take two pills. That's all, I swear!"

"Why do you say that, sweetie? I mean, you surely don't need to manipulate Don into being with you, now do you? I've never seen a man love a woman so much. And you wouldn't do anything to ruin his life. Of course not. You love him way too much to do that."

"But this isn't what we planned. I'm not even sure it's what he wants. I don't want him to marry me because he feels obligated 'cause I'm pregnant. Because he has to do the right thing. I want it to be because he loves me and wants to spend his life with me. I just feel like I'm forcing the issue, and that's not fair to him. That's why I feel like I ruined everything."

Marilyn could see that Don was about to burst with the need to speak. She nodded at him.

"Angie, please listen to me." Marilyn motioned for them to face each other, look at each other. They did.

"Baby, you haven't ruined anything. I love you. You're pregnant with our child. How could that be a bad thing?"

Angie still wasn't convinced. She didn't say anything; she just stared at the floor. Marilyn knew what to do to finally bring her around. She took Don's hand and placed it on Angie's still flat belly. Then she laid Angie's hand over Don's.

"Angie. Deep inside you, a baby is sleeping, warm and quiet, surrounded with love. A baby that you two created out of your love for each other. That's a gift from the Goddess. It can't be a bad thing. Just imagine what a wonderful life this child will have, growing up part of a love as strong as you two share. You'll love him or her the way you love each other, because he or she is a product of that love. Honey, you have to calm down and let your love shine through to the life you've created. Let it grow and form in the warmth and strength of your love. Do you understand me?"

Angie nodded, and then looked at Don. _Musta been a good speech..._ Don's eyes were swimming again. Angie climbed into Don's lap and he enfolded her in his arms. Marilyn decided that this would be a good time to go, and let the two of them finish up on their own.

"Just one more little tidbit of wisdom from this old crone..."

They both looked up at her.

"It's perfectly ok to make love while you're pregnant. I'll see you two later."

"Thank you Marilyn," they said in unison.

"My pleasure."

Don held Angie close, tenderly, as if gently holding and protecting the new life inside her. He knew he didn't need to do that, but he wanted to. She'd stopped crying and was sitting still with her arms around him, and he hoped she'd really come to terms with this and was no longer feeling like she'd ruined things.

"I'm gonna get stretch marks," she said, and he almost laughed at the absurdity of the statement in the enormity of what they'd just gone through.

"Put olive oil on your belly. Supposedly that helps prevent them."

"How would you know that?"

"I have a mother and a sister. I heard them talkin' about it."

"I'm gonna get fat."

"You're not gonna get fat. You'll gain some weight, but you'll lose it. You're gonna be a beautiful pregnant woman. Don't worry about it."

"I'm gonna get morning sickness."

"Ok now I can't help you with that one. But you'll get through it. All women do."

"Will you be with me when I give birth?"

"What? Of course I will. I'd carry the baby and have it for you if I could. I'll be with you every step of the way. Count on it."

"Are we gonna get married?"

"Well, I think we should, don't you?"

"You want to, right?"

He took her shoulders and pushed her back so he could look her in the eyes. "I have always wanted to marry you. I've just been waitin' for the right time."

"Well this isn't really it..."

"Yes it is. This is the right time."

She looked away from him. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. "Against all odds, cop and ex-con, you gettin' shot, me havin' to kill a guy so he couldn't kill me, every fuckin' thing we've been through. There's no way we aren't meant to be together. I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. I wanna be with you forever. You're the love of my life. So yeah, this is the right time."

Her eyes welled up, but this time they were tears of happiness, and they didn't scare him.

The End


End file.
